Patients and visitors are paying out around one million euro a month in car-parking charges at HSE run hospitals.
We highlighted this issue on the show Monday and were inundated with your calls and texts about the payments – Margaret for example text in to say ‘’it is an absolute disgrace charging people to go in to see sick people I won't pay it - I park at a shop which is not far from hospital - I’m furious about it’’
John made the point that ‘’hospitals actually make money when you visit as you might get a cup of tea/the paper or even buy your dinner there’’ and another of our listeners called in to say ‘’I just want to get to see who is in there belong to me who is sick so it wouldn't bother me about what i have to pay’’
Mother of two Vanessa feels the charges ''are a disgrace'' her 9 year old daughter Katie suffers from Lennox gastro syndrome and spent four days in UHG recently
STATEMENT FROM SETANTA COMMUNICATIONS
If a patient / family has particular difficulties, they can link with the ward manager or the Social Work Dept., who in turn can contact senior management to assess the situation vis a vis financial circumstances / parking concessions.
Due to the shortage of parking spaces on the UHG site, our Mobility Management Plan encourages off-site parking by staff and visitors. We acknowledge that many patients may have no option but to bring their car onto the UHG site. However, where possible, we request that patients be brought to the hospital by a family member, relative, carer or friend.
