Safe car park? No, but have a rape alarm

Medics on alert after being forced off hospital grounds

JUNIOR doctors have been offered rape alarms by hospital chiefs following an ‘unpleasant incident’ in an underpass as a member of staff walked to their car.

Medics at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, West Lothian, are forced to park off-site after new restrictions were introduced in December.

Only a small number now have permits for the hospital car park.

Spaces are also provided at the nearby football stadium, but the 20-minute walk includes using a poorly lit underpass.

In January, a young medic reported being approached in the underpass. A group of junior doctors then demanded access to an on-site car park.

But senior bosses instead said they could be given a ‘personal alarm’, to be used to alert passersby in the event of any incidents.

An email sent to junior doctors on behalf of a department chief at the hospital said bosses are ‘aware there has been understandable concern’ following the report of a ‘member of staff being involved in an unpleasant incident in a nearby underpass’. The chief claims to ‘take safety seriously’ and adds: ‘We are looking at purchasing personal alarms for you.’

But angry medics have shared their continued concerns. A source said it was ‘dangerous’ for trainee doctors to park off-site as they often work shifts of up to 12 hours and can start and finish when it is dark. They added there was ‘anger’ at the offer of ‘what is effectively a rape alarm’.

Scottish Lib Dem health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said: ‘To hear personnel at St John’s were offered rape alarms because staff felt unsafe fundamentally underwould mines our duty of care. We need an urgent review of staff parking.’

Labour MSP Neil Findlay said: ‘NHS Lothian has handled the situation extremely badly. While I understand why junior doctors be offered the alarms, that they are needed in first place is unacceptable. Have nursing and support staff, kitchen staff and others been offered them, too?’

Scottish Tory health spokesman Miles Briggs said: ‘This is a shocking state of affairs. We need a shake-up of hospital parking.’

NHS Lothian director of facilities George Curley said: ‘We recognise that many of our staff work unsociable hours and through the night.

‘To help support them and ensure they can get to and from work safely, we lift the barriers in car parks in St John’s Hospital to allow those staff to park on site through the night, at weekends and on public holidays.

‘We have also secured additional staff parking near the hospital, which is accessed by a well-lit road. Additional measures, such as working with local bus companies and introducing staff discount schemes, have also been put in place to make it easier for staff to use public transport.’

He added that a review of parking and permits is taking place.

‘Shocking state of affairs’