The dad and mom of sick kids and the disabled may lose free hospital parking beneath controversial new financial savings plans.
The Mail on Sunday understands Well being Secretary Therese Coffey‘s division is trying on the cuts to avoid wasting tens of tens of millions of kilos.
However the transfer, which might additionally have an effect on medical doctors and nurses working in a single day, has provoked a livid response from nurses’ leaders.
Critics additionally identified it could fly within the face of the 2019 Tory manifesto, which vowed to ‘finish unfair hospital automotive parking expenses for these in biggest want’.
Beneath present preparations in England, hospital trusts should present free parking for 4 teams – the disabled, outpatients with a minimum of three hospital appointments in a month, hospital employees working night time shifts and the dad and mom of sick kids staying in a single day.
Well being Secretary Therese Coffey’s division is scrapping free parking for the dad and mom of sick kids and the disabled to avoid wasting tens of tens of millions of kilos. Inventory picture
Shadow Well being Secretary Wes Streeting (pictured on the Labour Get together Convention final month) mentioned: ‘They’ve gone from clapping NHS employees to slapping them within the face’
However a supply instructed The Mail on Sunday that the free parking was now beneath menace. One mentioned: ‘They have their eyes on this despite the fact that when it comes to the general NHS funds, it gained’t save that a lot cash.’
Final night time, Pat Cullen, the Royal School of Nursing’s Common Secretary and Chief Government, mentioned: ‘Ministers have to put money into nursing, not threaten to undermine it additional.’
Shadow Well being Secretary Wes Streeting mentioned: ‘They’ve gone from clapping NHS employees to slapping them within the face.’
Final night time, a spokesman for the Division of Well being and Social Care mentioned: ‘We’re delivering on the manifesto dedication to supply free hospital automotive parking to 1000’s extra NHS sufferers and guests, with each NHS Belief implementing free automotive parking for many who want it most.’
