IN THE COURTS
...AND STAFF PAY £260K TO PARK AT THEIR WORKPLACE
BOSSES at Queen’s Hospital in Burton make more than £1 million from charging patients and visitors to park their cars, figures have revealed.
NHS statistics have revealed that in 2017-18, the Belvedere Road hospital collected £1,093,779 in parking charges for those visiting the hospital.
Parking for staff also saw £263,806 collected during the same period.
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, has said a third of the money made from parking charges is reinvested back into caring for patients at the hospital, while the rest goes towards maintenance of the car park and security.
Hospitals across England made more than £156 million from charging patients and visitors to park at hospitals. An additional £69 million came from staff parking charges.
NHS Digital figures also revealed that in 2017 to 2018 parking income rose by 11 per cent at Queen’s Hospital. Income from on-site car parks rose to £1,093,779 from £985,000 in 2017/18.
Queen’s runs its car park using a system managed by ParkingEye.
Parking is free for the first 20 minutes, but then costs £2 for up to an hour, £4 for up to four hours and £9 for more than six hours.
A weekly ticket can be bought by visitors and patients for £10.
In December, it was revealed 43 per cent of hospital trusts that responded to a Freedom of Information request had increased prices for visitors or staff in the past year, despite calls to axe charges.
Free parking was introduced at hospitals in Wales in March 2008 and in Scotland since December that year.
A University Hospitals of Derby and Burton spokesperson said: “A third of the revenue collected from our car parks is reinvested back into patient care in our hospitals and the rest is spent on car park maintenance and security, land rental and rates.
“Without this income, the trust would have to find other ways of covering these costs.” Tkeisha Franks, 25, of Elmsleigh Drive, Midway, admitted sending an email containing a black magic death spell that was grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character, in Swadlincote, on June 27.
Made the subject of a 12-month community order with a four week curfew.
Ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £85 victim surcharge.