Concerns over parking charge hikes at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds

A hike in parking charges at West Suffolk Hospital has been branded a ‘stealth tax which will hit the lowest-paid workers hardest’.

West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust has announced that prices at the Bury St Edmunds hospital will rise for patients, staff and visitors from April 1 to meet inflation and costs.

Charges for colleagues using the on-site staff car parks will increase in line with the consumer price index of 3.5 per cent.

Jonathan Rowell, interim chief finance officer for WSFT, said the move would help to mitigate against rising costs of inflation.

However, Rad Kerrigan, Eastern regional organiser for union UNISON, said staff at West Suffolk Hospital were already paying through the nose for a parking permit that doesn’t even guarantee them a space.

“This stealth tax will hit the lowest-paid workers hardest. It’s an extra worry that staff simply don’t need,” they said.

“Nor is it fair for patients and their families to stump up for such mammoth rises.

“The NHS shouldn’t need to pick its workers’ pockets to run services.”

Parking for up to an hour for patients and visitors will rise from £2.30 to £2.70, for one to two hours from £4.40 to £5.30, two to three hours from £6.70 to £8, three to four hours from £8.80 to £10.50, four to five hours from £11.10 to £13.20 and more than five hours from £13.20 to £15.80.

While patient and visitor charges increased for the first time since 2019 last year, in line with the value of inflation (as per the consumer price index) at the time, the rise this year takes account of the full inflationary changes over that five-year period.

Concessionary rates will increase in line with the current rate of inflation (3.5 per cent consumer price index) for a weekly ticket from £31.30 to £32.40 and a carers daily rate from £3.10 to £3.20.

Bury Free Press readers took to social media to express their views on the move.

One said while they didn’t mind paying the charges, they said it was time to expand the car park.

Another said the lack of spaces at visiting time was the main issue and staff should never have to pay.

One reader said: “Imagine not getting paid enough to be a doctor, nurse or midwife etc and then having to pay to park at the place you work in? Absolutely disgusting.”

Another commented that while it was expensive, at least the money went to the hospital rather than a council.

One said: “That’s a disgrace, sick people should not have to pay for parking.”

Another said: “If there wasn’t a new hospital coming I would say its worth building a multi-storey car park.

“I would hope this has been considered in the plans for the new hospital. Complaints tend to go down when there is an adequate provision.”

Mr Rowell said: “We understand this may have an impact on the budgets of our staff, patients and visitors and offer free parking and concessionary rates.

“Our colleagues have access to free park and ride facilities at Bury St Edmunds Rugby Club. There are other concessions available to them including free parking for people working a night shift.”

Free parking arrangements are available for those including blue badge holders, Macmillan unit outpatients, parents of babies admitted to the neo-natal unit, high-risk antenatal patients and cardiac rehab patients, phototherapy patients, families of end of life patients and frequent outpatient attenders.

Weekly tickets are available at a reduced rate for patients/visitors needing to attend on a regular basis.

There are reduced rate daily tickets for family carers, patients receiving universal credit and those staying 20 minutes or less in the front car park and 30 minutes at the back with various drop off/pick up points available around the West Suffolk Hospital site.