Row Over Hospital Parking Charges For Blue Badge Holders
A Nottinghamshire MP is opposing a decision to charge blue badge-holders for parking at a county hospital.
Ashfield MP Gloria De Piero said the move by King’s Mill Hospital near Mansfield to impose the charges was “not fair”.
Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust said the move was necessary to pay for parking facilities.
The hospital said cancer patients and kidney dialysis patients were exempt from parking charges.
The blue badge-holders will pay £1.50 an hour for parking or £3 for four hours.
Lucy Dadge, commercial director for the trust, said: “A recent poll locally suggested 90% of our population supports us charging for disabled patients and visitors in a manner that is equitable with all our other charging policies.
“It is not about income – it is about a fair charging policy and maintaining our high-quality parking.”
But Ms De Piero said: “You can park anywhere with a blue badge but not at a hospital – this is just not right.
“Hardly any hospitals – only four or five – in this country charge disabled people.”
Same Difference 
What a short sighted view these hospitals have of disabled people.
Are they not aware that many of us cannot access the ticket machines and, being disabled, we take up more time getting in and our of the car, and even more time to make our way to the relevant department and back.
I suggest it is disabled people who are being discriminated against as we are expected to pay more money than our able bodied counterparts, for a poorer service.
Will they never learn?
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