Hospital parking hike sparks staff reaction

A ROYAL Oldham Hospital worker has called on colleagues to stand up and be counted in a car-parking battle sparked by a hike in charges.

Staff working for Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs hospitals in Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and North Manchester, were angered when they were hit with a 43 per cent increase in charges in May.

Those working more than 25 hours a week saw monthly charges rise from £14 to £20. And the hike, in a year when many staff were subject to a pay freeze, caused more unrest since they are not allowed to park in the main hospital grounds during the day.

The £20 charge is taken directly from wages, regardless of short-term sickness or annual leave.

Permits allow staff daytime-parking on near-by Sheepfoot Lane on a plot which is secluded, derelict, very rough underfoot and often full.

The member of staff, who does not want to be named for fear of reprisals, said objectors who parked in the hospital grounds were being harassed to move their vehicles, and threatened with £65 fines and court action.

The worker said: “If staff are on a late shift they have no chance of parking as it is usually visiting-time on the wards. So do they park where the trust deems illegal or are they late for their shift?”

A spokesman for Pennine Acute Trust said: “Car parking at the Royal Oldham Hospital is prioritised for our patients and visitors to ensure minimum stress and disruption when attending appointments and visiting relatives, friends or loved ones.

“We lease a large car park with 550 parking spaces at the Oldham Athletic football ground which is available for all staff to use.”

The spokesman said the hike for monthly staff permits was the first for four years, and charges were suspended for anyone on long-term sick or on maternity leave.