NHS bosses defend car parking charges at Somerset hospitals

The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, which runs both Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton and Yeovil Hospital, uses private companies to run its multi-storey car parks, which are used by both staff and visitors to each site.

Standard rates for parking at Musgrove Park start at £2.40 for one hour. Parking for up to 24 hours will set visitors back £15.50.

Ray Tostevin, a member of the Yeovil and District Trades Union Council, has attacked both the level of charges at both sites and the lack of transparency on the trust’s part, calling for fees to be reduced and eventually abolished.

The trust’s chief executive said using private companies to run car parks ensure that more funding could be directly towards front-line treatment for patients.

This comes as construction begins on a second multi-storey car park at Musgrove as part of a wider programme of improving its facilities.

“I know I speak for many when I say hospital car parking charges are absolutely outrageous,” Mr Tostevin said. (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Tostevin raised the issue when the NHS Somerset integrated care board (ICB) met at South Petherton Community Hospital on July 25.

He said: “Musgrove Park Hospital has a multi-storey car park run by Q-Park, a private company.

“A freedom of information (FOI) request by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) for details of the contract between the Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and Q-Park has yielded only limited information due to commercial confidentially.

“At Yeovil Hospital, the multi-storey is run by Parkingeye but owned by Simply Serve Ltd., a subsidiary company of the NHS trust.

“An FOI request by the RCN has shown income and revenue of £40,301 generated from that car park for the trust in the 2023/24 financial year. At Yeovil Hospital, parking currently costs £15 a day or more.

“Some staff are being offered concessionary permits, but others – including patient carers and other hospital visitors – still find themselves saddled with paying exorbitant parking charges simply to come to work or to visit sick relatives in hospital.

“How aware is the ICB is the mounting anger and frustration felt by staff and the public over the increasingly high cost of hospital parking in Somerset?

“Has the ICB discussed parking charges, and if so, what actions have been taken?

“Are the ICB willing to support the bringing of car parking charges back under the trust’s direct management, the lowering of charges to what might be deemed by ordinary people to be a more  affordable level, and ultimately the abolition of all hospital car parking charges?

“I know I speak for many when I say hospital car parking charges are absolutely outrageous – it’s iniquitous. They shouldn’t be there.”

The Somerset NHS Foundation Trust also runs Somerset’s community hospitals, urgent treatment centres (formerly known as minor health units) and mental health services. (Image: Newsquest)

Mr Tostevin has been an outspoken critic of the ICB’s recent decisions in his capacity as chairman of the Quicksilver Community Group, which opposes the agreed changes to the stroke services provided at Yeovil Hospital.

Jonathan Higman served as chief executive of Yeovil Hospital before taking up his current post at chief executive of the ICB.

Responding to Mr Tostevin, he said: “I think there is a balance to be struck between good quality parking, cost and the subsidisation of that cost with money would be otherwise being going into patient care.

“It’s a tricky triangle to square. Many of our sites experience significant pressures on car parking for staff, patients and visitors – we’re aware that it’s not limited to our acute hospitals.”

In addition to the acute hospitals in Taunton and Yeovil, the trust also runs Somerset’s community hospitals, urgent treatment centres (formerly known as minor health units) and mental health services.

Mr Higman continued: “Significant investment has taken place over the years at both acute hospitals, so that we have got the infrastructure that supports the delivery of patient care, patient privacy and patient dignity.

“I know from previous experience there is nothing worse than arriving for an outpatient appointment and not being able to get a parking space, with the added stress that provides.

“We as a board have not yet specifically discussed car parking charges, but it’s fair to say that we understand the cost of living pressures that people are under and how that’s affecting people in our communities right now.

“The trust has told the board that they are committed to working in partnership with trade unions on a range of concerns their members have raised about parking and transport – this isn’t just about the car parking, it’s about the alternatives as well.

“Parking at free at both acute hospital sites for certain groups, and there are clear concessions – for instance, for outpatients who attend nine times within 90 days, parents staying overnight with sick children, parents or guardians of children under the age of 18 who are admitted to hospital overnight.

“Staff, patients and visitors with blue badges also get concessions, as do staff who work nights.

“If we put more resources directly into car parking, we would have less money to provide for patient care and access.”