Calls for NHS staff to be refunded for hospital parking costs

Hospital staff should have the cost of parking at work refunded, the Scottish Conservatives have said.

The Tories have launched a campaign calling for a national review following claims of "ongoing parking problems at hospitals'' across Scotland.

Miles Briggs, the party's health spokesman, has claimed thousands of NHS staff are unable to get permits to park at work.

He said some employees at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh have had their permits rescinded ahead of the opening of the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children nearby.

In Glasgow, nurses said they face charges of more than £20 a day to park, while workers at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee continue to be charged as a result of a private finance initiative (PFI) contract.

Mr Briggs said: "MSPs and MPs across the country are always being contacted by staff, patients and visitors about ongoing parking problems at hospitals.

"We already know that our NHS is facing a workforce crisis under the SNP but NHS staff are increasingly saying if they can't park at their work, they won't be able to work at many hospital sites.

"For too long NHS staff, patients and visitors have had to pay far too much for parking at hospitals.

"We don't believe it is fair that Scots should have to pay such high fees simply because they are unwell or need to visit a loved one who is ill.''

He added: "It's also not right that NHS staff should have to pay to park at their place at work, especially given the long and awkward hours many of them work.

"That's why we want to see a national review of hospital parking and for NHS staff to be refunded the cost of their parking.

"The Scottish Conservatives believe it's time there was a national review of hospital parking.

"That is why we have launched our petition and calling on SNP ministers to act."