‘There needs to be urgentdiscussions’

A CALL was today made for “urgent discussions” to take place over parking arrangements at Ninewells Hospital.

It follows a ruling at Dundee Sheriff Court last week where three nurses from the city hospital were ordered to pay more than £4,000 in parking fines to Indigo Park Services UK Ltd, the operator of the car park at Ninewells.

The company sued the nurses for unpaid parking fines and recovery charges amounting to £4,077, plus expenses.

Miles Briggs MSP, Scottish Conservative spokesman for mental health and public health, said: “In light of this court ruling, I hope Health Secretary Shona Robison will arrange for urgent discussions to take place between the Scottish Government and NHS Tayside to look at all possible options to avoid hardworking NHS staff being penalised. Most people will think it’s very unfair that nurses and other key hospital staff face substantial parking fines if the reason for them returning late to their cars is due to work commitments within the hospital.”

Scottish Labour’s health spokesman Anas Sarwar MSP said: “Our nurses do fantastic work day in, day out and it’s unacceptable for them to be issued with parking fines if they are running late because they are helping patients.”

Dundee councillor Ken Lynn, who sits on the board of NHS Tayside, said: “Ideally I’d like parking at Ninewells to be free of charge, as it is at most other Scottish hospitals.

“However, due to a deal made prior to the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, that is not the case.”

Health Secretary Shona Robison, said: “The Scottish Government abolished car park fees at hospitals in December 2008 — a move which has saved patients, visitors and staff in excess of £30 million.

“I would like to be able to scrap car park charges at Ninewells.

“Unfortunately it is one of three car parks which are locked into long-term PFI contracts that were introduced by a previous Labour-led Government.

“Charging to park at hospitals places an unnecessary financial burden on families and those needing treatment.

“I have every sympathy with the staff involved and I urge the company to look sympathetically at these cases.”

Indigo said last week that legal action was a “last resort”.

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Anas Sarwar