Ashfield councillor calls for two hours free visitor parking at King's Mill Hospital

Coun Helen-Ann Smith made the call after receiving complaints about the current parking charges from constituents.

Parking is free for the Sutton-in-Ashfield hospital’s 4,800 staff but there is just 15 minutes of free parking for visitors.

Coun Smith described this as ‘a tax on caring’.

Due to Covid-19, the hospital is currently operating a compassionate visiting policy and only allowing visiting for inpatients once they have been in hospital for seven days and then one designated visitor for one hour, three times a week after that.

Coun Smith, who is also a Nottinghamshire County Councillor for Sutton North where the hospital is based said: “Whilst it is welcome that staff parking remains free, the cost of parking for visitors remains prohibitively high.

"I am calling for the Department of Health to compensate the Sherwood Forest NHS Hospital’s Trust for any lost income and two hour free parking introduced.”

“Two hours free parking has been a huge success in car parks run by Ashfield District Council.

"Introducing a similar scheme at Kings Mill Hospital would be appreciated by all visitors.

Paul Robinson, deputy chief executive at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The trust has been able to offer free visitor parking from March 2020 until January 2021, at a cost of around £1.5 million over the course of the financial year.

"This cost was externally funded until September 2020.

“We don’t make a profit on our car parking, the charges are designed to break even and enable us to maintain and provide the parking facilities.

"Whilst we would love to be able to continue to offer free parking, this is dependent on us having the funding in place to do so as otherwise that money is lost for patient care.

“We do have schemes in place for people who need to visit regularly.

"For example, at King’s Mill a seven day pass costs £12.50, or £1.78 per day and there are also schemes for patients on low incomes to claim back the costs of parking.”