Manchester's hospitals make more money from parking than anywhere else in England
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust raked in more than £6m last year
It's been revealed Manchester's hospitals make more money from carparking charges than anywhere else in England.
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust raked in over SIX million pounds last year - according to a Freedom of Information request.
It's also been revealed one in three hospitals in England put up the cost of parking last year.
The study by the PA news agency showed hospitals made more than £254 million from parking in 2018/19, as patients and visitors said they felt ripped off.
The survey revealed that patients and visitors often struggle to find spaces, experience a lack of disabled parking, long queues and parking meters that do not work.
Overall, 86% of those polled said parking added to the stress of a hospital visit.
One patient said: "The car parks are so busy that from 16.30 until 17.30 it can take nearly one hour to leave the hospital'', while another said: "I spent over #102 to visit my wife.''
Patients and visitors have described the charges as 'extortionate' and 'astronomical.'
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust took the most parking revenue in 2018/19 at £6,352,676, up on the £6,285,340 the previous year.
In a statement, the Trust says the figures are correct and that it has no further comment.
A spokeswoman for the Patients Association said: "Charges for car parking at hospitals are a charge on people who are unwell, levied on them because they are unwell. We believe that patients should not be effectively charged for being ill.
"Practical arrangements to prevent car parks being used by other motorists can and should be installed, as they are at supermarkets, hotels and so on.''
Deputy chief executive of NHS Providers Saffron Cordery said increases in the cost of parking were frustrating, but added: "Car parks are expensive to run for the trusts that own them.
"These parking facilities must be maintained, lit well, and secure. Parking facilities must also provide good access for patients, families and staff.
"All charges by trusts for parking cover the day-to-day running of car parking at the hospital, with any surplus reinvested back into wider services for patients or improving these facilities.''
She said abolishing charges could cost around £200 million per year, and trusts would have to find funding from elsewhere, which could "impact on patient care''.
Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.