Southport Hospital nurses to face parking charges

Southport hospital nurses are facing the grim reality of paying to park where they work again.

Originally scrapped during the pandemic for the ‘NHS Heroes’, the government have said they have no intention of extending a free parking scheme for hospital staff beyond April 1st.

The return of paid parking is no joke for thousands of hospital workers, who will be forced to add the expense onto their growing list of bills and outgoings along with the cost of living crisis

Parking fees were waived in March 2020, but Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the pandemic had moved to a new stage.

He said over 93% of NHS trusts charging for parking have implemented free parking “for those in greatest need”, including NHS staff working overnight.

Unions have criticised the move as punishing struggling staff.

Rachel Harrison, national officer for the GMB union, described charging healthcare staff for parking as a “a sick joke”, after they “risked their lives during the pandemic”.

A freedom of information request made by the union previously found that staff could pay up to £1,300 a year to park at work.