Cameron calls on NHS chiefs to give staff free place for cars in‘half-empty’health centre

Dr Lisa Cameron has slammed staff parking arrangements at Hunter Health Centre and says the facility is lying“half empty”.

The car park, which opened in May 2016, left administration staff counting the cost after they were refused free parking permits for the new complex – and told they would have to pay up to £100-a-month.

Dr Cameron raised her concerns at Westminster.

The East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow MP believes staff in lower pay brackets have been hit hardest.

She told Parliament: “I believe that health centres in my constituency have free staff parking, aside from the new Hunter Community Health Centre multi-storey car park.

“Only a limited amount of permit parking has been made available for staff.

“This has meant some staff – often those in lower pay bands, such as admin staff – face extortionate weekly charges for getting to work. That is unprincipled and unfair.

“On Fridays, I have taken to monitoring the free spaces in the car park.

“I can assure the House that it is half empty every single Friday, usually a busy day for car parks elsewhere, so there are enough spaces for the staff.

“I once again urge NHS Lanarkshire’s chief executive Calum Campbell to reverse this decision and ensure that permits for staff, as requested, are restored and that this principled step is taken.”

NHS Lanarkshire head of planning Graham Johnston says the situation will be reviewed.

He said: “There are 240 spaces, over half of which are for staff use. Parking permits were allocated to staff who require their vehicle for business purposes – such as those who carry out home visits – during their working day.

“In November 2016 we reviewed the occupation levels of patient and staff parking areas, engaged with patient representatives and undertook a patient survey.

“This resulted in a reconfiguration of staff/ public parking spaces to facilitate additional staff parking.

“A further review was undertaken in September and October 2017. [It] indicates there is further scope to increase the number of staff parking spaces as the usage of the public parking spaces remains relatively low.

“It is our intention to further review the new arrangement six months after the agreed implementation date to measure effectiveness.”

There are enough spaces for the staff...