Furious healthcare workers within the NHS are calling for action following revelations that staff have incurred millions in fines for parking while on duty.
Data from a limited sample of 17 NHS trusts indicates that over 25,000 fines have been issued to NHS employees in 2024, as per findings by Channel 4 News FactCheck.
With an estimated average fine of around £60, the total fines amount to approximately £1.5 million, although the actual sum could be considerably higher.
Expressing concern over these figures, Patricia Marquis, the executive director of the Royal College of Nursing, emphasized the alarming scale of the issue across just a fraction of trusts, urging a consideration of the broader impact when multiplied across England’s 300-plus trusts.
Marquis stated, “It’s truly worrying to see the extent of this problem across a small number of trusts, let alone when extrapolated to encompass all NHS trusts. The consistent fining of nurses while they are at work is alarming.”
The Royal College of Nursing advocates for the government and trusts to ensure the provision of safe and affordable parking options or alternative means of transportation for healthcare workers, preventing them from incurring exorbitant costs.
Several trusts mentioned their inability to furnish information as third-party entities handle their parking fines, while others admitted to not distinguishing between fines issued to staff versus patients or visitors.
One neonatal nurse, Lisa Duggan, shared her experience of receiving a fine despite holding a valid staff parking permit, as she resorted to parking in a different area to reach her shift promptly. Despite displaying her permit, she was penalized and faced a prolonged and costly process while contesting the ticket with an external parking operator, resulting in a payment of nearly £300.
Duggan expressed her frustration, stating, “There seems to be a lack of care and empathy. It is unjust to put staff in such predicaments.”
The Mirror has shed light on the escalating issue of numerous parking fines and increasing charges, labeling them as an additional financial burden on dedicated staff members.
Responding to the concerns, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care assured that free parking is accessible to those most in need, including NHS staff working overnight. While acknowledging that hospital car park charges fall under the jurisdiction of individual NHS trusts, they emphasized the expectation for all charges to be reasonable and aligned with local standards, condemning any exploitation or mistreatment of hardworking NHS personnel.