Cost of parking at Royal Berks Hospital Options

[betsy]

My husband was rushed into the Royal Berks 10 days ago. He has been in there for 10 days now and I am shocked at the cost of parking. If I visited every afternoon from 2.00 until 5.30 it would cost me £42 just for parking for a week and thats just the afternoons. There is visiting again in the evening from 6.30 to 8.00 so that would be another extra cost.

This seems like daylight robbery. Especially when people are upset and worried about sick loved ones.

I found out this morning that there are certain concessions - patients in intensive care, kidney dialysis patients, terminally ill patients etc. That is all to the good but I think the NHS needs to change charges like this.

[JeffG]

Hospital parking charges are a big bone of contention with many people. It's not far short of extorting money from people when they are at their most vulnerable.

[Ron]

My husband was rushed into the Royal Berks 10 days ago. He has been in there for 10 days now and I am shocked at the cost of parking. If I visited every afternoon from 2.00 until 5.30 it would cost me £42 just for parking for a week and thats just the afternoons. There is visiting again in the evening from 6.30 to 8.00 so that would be another extra cost.

This seems like daylight robbery. Especially when people are upset and worried about sick loved ones.

I found out this morning that there are certain concessions - patients in intensive care, kidney dialysis patients, terminally ill patients etc. That is all to the good but I think the NHS needs to change charges like this.

As a frequent 'visitor' with my wife for oncology treatment we found it went up just recently. Have you tried the park and ride from the stadium? There is, I think, a direct bus link to the RBH.

[Iommi]

Apparently Benyon said they need the money.

[JeffG]

Apparently Benyon said they need the money.

But it's not in his constituency.

[Jayjay]

I recently contacted Richard Benyon on this matter through Macmillan Cancer Support to petition the current government to honour Labour's pledge to phase out hospital parking charges. His reply that he would not support the petition as the NHS cannot afford it as it is a valuable source of income to them. There is evidence that patients recover more quickly if they have frequent visitors, therefore leave hospital quicker saving the NHS more money.

There is a nationwide scheme that you can claim mileage and parking charges if you are on any form of benefit. This is up to a maximum amount of mileage and Newbury is 5 miles further than the maximum. Case for a local 'proper' hospital?

Until recently you could park at Majeski and use the park and ride, making visits less costly and you could get a space in the car park.

Saying that, West Berks hospital is a great deal better than most in that cancer patients receiving chemo do get free parking.

[betsy]

As a frequent 'visitor' with my wife for oncology treatment we found it went up just recently. Have you tried the park and ride from the stadium? There is, I think, a direct bus link to the RBH.

Thanks Ron. I didn't know about the park and ride. Might look into that one.

[Iommi]

But it's not in his constituency.

It is a view of a Government MP, which is indicative of their view, I would have thought.

[Jayjay]

Thanks Ron. I didn't know about the park and ride. Might look into that one.

Betsy, unfortunatly they stopped running it. I sometimes manage to get a space on the main road, the out patients end, if I am lucky.

[Richard Garvie]

With regards to chemo and terminally ill patients, I think it is vital that parking charges are phased out. I'm all for hospitals continuing to charge general visitors in light of the likely budget cuts, but patients who are there for essential treatment should be exempt.

I think everybody should continue to lobby Richard Benyon MP for these exemptions, but as he votes the same way as Cameron in every vote, I wouldn't hold my breathe!!!

[Andy]

Might be worth asking the ward sister for a concessionary parking permit, valid for a week...

http://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/patients_...x?theme=Patient

Or if you can find somewhere to park in town then there's this scheme currently running...

http://www.getreading.co.uk/news/s/2075227..._bus_now_only_1

[HeatherW]

My husband was rushed into the Royal Berks 10 days ago. He has been in there for 10 days now and I am shocked at the cost of parking. If I visited every afternoon from 2.00 until 5.30 it would cost me £42 just for parking for a week and thats just the afternoons. There is visiting again in the evening from 6.30 to 8.00 so that would be another extra cost.

This seems like daylight robbery. Especially when people are upset and worried about sick loved ones.

I found out this morning that there are certain concessions - patients in intensive care, kidney dialysis patients, terminally ill patients etc. That is all to the good but I think the NHS needs to change charges like this.

That is terrible, but I know what you mean. When I visited my boyfriend a couple of months ago in hospital it cost me a fortune. He was kind enough to offer me the money back but I declined. But I did tell him he can buy me a dinner when he gets out.

It is ok for the people who can afford it, but those that are struggling it must be terrible.

[user23]

It's £10 for a weekly permit at Basingstoke, I suspect Reading is similar. If you visited every afternoon it would still only cost you £10.

[blackdog]

It's £10 for a weekly permit at Basingstoke, I suspect Reading is similar. If you visited every afternoon it would still only cost you £10.

No sign of any such deal on their website - just the concessionary ticket available from the ward sister if the patient is deemed 'very unwell'.

http://www.royalberkshire.nhs.uk/patients_...x?theme=patient

[Biker1]

It's not going to get any better.
Link

[Iommi]

Free at the point of use; yeah right! The Tories and Lib Dems should be ashamed. I don't mind a charge, just not excessive.

[dannyboy]

I can imagine what would happen at the Royal Berks if parking was free - come 9am of a weekday & there would not be a single empty space as every office worker within a 1 mile radius left their car there for the day.

[betsy]

Free at the point of use; yeah right! The Tories and Lib Dems should be ashamed. I don't mind a charge, just not excessive.

Husband finally got home yesterday. We went up to get him. Arrived at 1.30pm, didn't get away until 5.45 p.m. so ended up feeding the meter £8.00. Had to rush down to put in more twice in case we got a ticket or clamped.

If David Cameron and Nick Clegg think these charges are acceptable I certainly don't. Annoying thing is that I bet if an MP goes to visit and has to pay they will claim it back in their expenses!

[Iommi]

I can imagine what would happen at the Royal Berks if parking was free - come 9am of a weekday & there would not be a single empty space as every office worker within a 1 mile radius left their car there for the day.

We don't necessarily need free, but concessions for the vulnerable. We can chose to go shopping in town, but we don't always choose when to get ill and it hits the hardest up.

[Biker1]

I can imagine what would happen at the Royal Berks if parking was free - come 9am of a weekday & there would not be a single empty space as every office worker within a 1 mile radius left their car there for the day.

Easy answer is to give the patient or their representative a pass to display in the car when they register in at the hospital