Hospital parking fees should go - Meacher

CAR park fees at hospitals should be scrapped and the loss made up by prescribing cheaper generic drugs rather than branded ones, says Oldham and Royton MP Michael Meacher.

Mr Meacher is backing a Parliamentary campaign urging the Government to scrap the fees, which are estimated to cost visitors, patients and staff around £200 million a year.

Mr Meacher said: “It is not right that people visiting loved ones or those in hospital long-term have to pay huge costs.

“The real problem is cuts. £20 billion cuts in the NHS are expected, so trusts are using parking charges as a way of making income.”

The Commons motion also criticises the differences in fee levels: one London hospital charges up to £500 a week to park in its grounds.

Mr Meacher added: “These high charges deter visitors from seeing their loved ones and can hit the most vulnerable at a difficult time.”