CAR parking charges at Scottish hospitals are to be abolished.

The only exception in Glasgow is the Royal Infirmary multi-storey car park, which was built under the Private Finance Initiative.

From January 1, patients, visitors and staff at all non-PFI hospitals will be able to park free.

The decision was announced today by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is also Scottish Health Secretary, and follows an Evening Times campaign over an increase in charges. This forced some low-paid staff to pay at least £7 a day to bring their cars to work.

In all, 14 Scots hospitals are affected by today's abolition.

In NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde they are Gartnavel, the Southern General, Stobhill, the Victoria and Western infirmaries, and Yorkhill.

Ms Sturgeon reacted in January to complaints by staff who were being penalised by NHS bosses for parking in hospital grounds.

She imposed a cap of £3 per day and ordered a review with the warning further changes could follow.

Today, she said: "In this 60th anniversary year of NHS Scotland, I am determined the founding principles of our health service remain intact.

"Chief among these is the NHS should be free at the point of delivery and it is my firm belief this should apply whether one comes to hospital as a patient, visitor or staff.

"It is not fair to expect patients or visitors to have to pay when they come to hospital, when they may be suffering personal anxiety, stress or grief. Put bluntly, a car parking charge is often the last thing people need."

NHS boards are also being asked to submit their plans to the Scottish Government on how they will address potential increases in demand, promotion of greener forms of transport and the potential use of spaces by commuters, shoppers or others.

A government spokesman said the exceptions to the axe would be car parks at three hospitals provided under Private Finance Initiative contracts as the costs of early termination would be prohibitive.

But even at these, Ms Sturgeon said she wanted NHS boards to work with contractors to limit and reduce charges until the contracts came to an end.

Glasgow's SNP MSPs Bill Kidd, Sandra White, Bob Doris and Bashir Ahmad welcomed Ms Sturgeon's announcement.

In a joint statement they said: "This is excellent news for Glasgow.

Hospital charges are nothing short of a tax on the sick, a tax on those who visit the sick and a tax on those who care for the sick."

They also called for the Royal Infirmary to cut its charges.

Matt McLaughlin, regional organiser for Unison, which represents many hospital workers, said: "I'm delighted the Scottish Government has bowed to pressure from the unions and the public on this issue.

"I am disappointed it is not brave enough to tackle PFI car parks and that people on these sites will be put at a significant disadvantage. That is grossly unfair. I would call for a subsidy for staff at these hospitals."

Tuesday 2nd September 2008

By Brian Currie

Reproduced with the permission of The Evening Times, Glasgow © 2008 Herald & Times Group