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Trust tackles mounting car parking issues at West Suffolk Hospital
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has taken steps to address a number of issues with the availability of car parking at its West Suffolk Hospital site. It is due to open an additional 400 spaces at the hospital in early 2017 after making a £2 million investment in this and a range of improvement works.
After liaising with patient representatives, the Trust is amending the tariff for parking in the new year to make a modest contribution towards the investment that has been made. It is also addressing a regular complaint from patients that short-stay visits are charged at an excessively high rate by introducing a new tariff for a one hour stay. Additional spaces for disabled drivers who carry a Blue Badge are being created, along with specially-designated wheelchair-supported access spaces that provide better access for those unable to walk.
The tariff change is being introduced in a tiered structure that encourages visitors to leave the hospital site as soon as their clinical appointment is finished to increase capacity by improving flow. Extra spaces that have been built for staff are designed to prevent hospital workers from leaving their cars in the roads that surround the hospital
The Trust will charge Blue Badge disabled drivers in line with other visitors, which includes those disabled drivers who do not meet the criteria for a badge. Any revenue generated by the charge will be used to improve access, which is what disabled drivers have said is their main concern.
Jan Bloomfield, director of workforce and communications at the Trust, said: “We have listened to what our patients, staff and nearby residents have told us about the problems with parking and taken positive action as a result.
“Investing £2 million of our capital in extra spaces and improvement works has been a difficult decision and one we haven’t made lightly. I think it shows just how serious our car parking problems have become and how we, as a Trust, recognise that.
“We will continue to encourage alternative forms of transport wherever we can but accept that for many people the car may be their only means of arriving here.
“Concessions to our parking tariffs are available for all patients who are on low income and receiving a range of benefits. All income from parking comes straight to the Trust to meet the cost of running the car parks, and any additional income is invested directly into patient care.”
Hardwick County and Southgate Borough Councillor Sarah Stamp welcomed the move. She said: “The hospital faces an unenviable challenge trying to balance the huge demand for parking spaces on site with the need to continually invest in patient care facilities. I applaud them for this brave investment in a difficult financial climate and see the changes being made as a big step forwards in addressing some of the issues that residents have been consistently raising with me in recent years. I thank the hospital for taking pragmatic action and for always being willing to work with me, and listen to residents’ concerns on this controversial issue."
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