Medway hospital staff say they’re considering leaving following parking charge rise
A standard day of parking at Medway Maritime Hospital now costs £15
Hospital staff say they’re being forced to pick up shifts in pubs after being stung by increased parking charges and wage cuts.
Medway Maritime Hospital increased a standard days worth of parking in its car parks from £9.20 to £15 at the start of the month – representing a 60% increase.
The trust says this will go towards repairs, lighting, CCTV, security, and updating machines and barriers.
However, staff say the limited number of staff parking permits – which are only available to eligible workers, and still carry a fee – mean they’re expected to pay higher fees just to come to work.
One midwife, speaking to KentOnline anonymously, says because of the increased cost many are considering their positions.
Where she previously had to budget £150 per month just to come to work, she now has to factor in an expected £250 outlay.
“It just came up on the internal system,” she said. “There was no email sent, nothing.
“It just feels like a bit of a kick in the teeth. I’m in a position where I can budget that extra £100 a month. It’s tight, but I can do it.
“But some of the girls are single mums, they live far away, they’ve got childcare to pay for and money’s really tight as it is.
“That extra £100 a month has them going: ‘Actually, I might not even be able to come to work because I won’t be able to afford it anymore’.”
She added that the increased charges, along with the cuts of the bank shift and overtime rates had many staff considering their future at the hospital.
She continued: “They’re kicking us whilst we’re down, and I could get more as a cleaner or as a paper decorator.
“It’s not cutting the mustard and people aren’t picking the shifts up anymore because it’s not worth their time.
“Some of us are doing cash-in-hand work in pubs. It sounds ridiculous: how can you be such a qualified professional, but you’re getting more money pulling pints behind a bar?
“I got in touch with a place I used to work in because I just thought actually the hours might be more flexible and won’t be much of a price difference.
“It’s a sad fact that if I can’t make the bills work with this because our rates keep dropping and the expenses keep going up, I’ll have to leave.”
A park and ride service to Chatham Dockside is available, but she says its final run is before she finishes work, so isn’t feasible – and it still has a cost.
In May, the hospital reduced bank shift wages by 20%, cutting the amount paid for filling in rota gaps.
“I think that’s why people are probably feeling it a little bit more because they aren’t picking the shifts up anymore because it’s not worth their time, so money is tighter,” she added.
“But it also means the shifts are dangerous. We’re short-staffed, we’re asking people to work outside of their specialties.
“I understand the trust is in financial difficulties and needs to make cuts – we noticed they’ve taken away all of our staplers and staples. We’re no longer allowed those anymore because they’re too expensive.
“But people really do not feel valued. A manager of mine heard someone higher up say about the shift cuts: ‘The prices may have dropped, but people still need to put food on their table so they will work’.
“That’s the mentality that is there and people have noticed and so they’re looking to get out.
“And this just for staff, what about all the patients and their families? They’ll be affected too.”
Previously, the first half hour of parking at the hospital was free, a two-hour stay cost £2.30, £3.50 for three hours, £4.60 for up to four hours, and £5.80 for up to five hours.
However, since August 1, most tariffs have increased by at least £1, with two hours rising to £2.50, three hours to £4.50, four hours to £5.50 and five hours to £7.
The first half hour will remain free, but the weekly discounted rate of £16.10 for visitors of patients in intensive care unit (ITU), high dependency unit (HDU), special care baby unit, dolphin ward or penguin ward is also going to rise to £17.50.
An exclusive staff car parking permit is available for eligible staff for a monthly fee, but when KentOnline asked Medway Maritime Hospital would not disclose the price.
By comparison, Darent Valley Hospital in Dartford and Gravesham also raised their charges from £1.50 to £2 for up to an hour and £3 to £4 for three hours.
The price rise, also on August 1, meant the price went from £10 to £12.50 for 24 hours and the weekly price of £32 remains the same.
For Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells hospitals, the tariffs are £1.50 for up to half an hour, £2.50 for an hour, and £4.30 for three hours.
For up to six hours it’s £7.30, £12 for 16 hours and £15 for up to 24 hours.
A weekly ticket cost a pound less at £14 but from September that’s increasing to £16.
And at East Kent Hospitals Trust, the first 20 minutes are free, then it’s £2.50 for the first hour and £1 per hour up to a maximum charge of £12 per day.
Some concessions are available to patients, their carers and visitors with long-term conditions – but staff can only get discounts through an eligibility-based staff car park.
Siobhan Callanan, interim chief executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We understand that any increase in parking charges is difficult for patients and visitors.
“Income from the parking charges helps cover the rising costs of maintaining and operating our car parks. Any income above these costs is reinvested directly into patient care and services.
“A range of parking concessions remain available for eligible patients and visitors and the hospital is well served by public transport links.
“Our staff are highly valued and we remain committed to supporting them wherever possible.
“While we are unable to provide free parking for all colleagues, eligible staff can apply for an on-site parking permit to use designated staff parking areas.
“In addition, a free off-site parking and shuttle bus service is available to all staff, alongside financial support and advice through our wellbeing team.”
Medway Council’s deputy leader, portfolio holder for health, and a member of the hospital’s board of governors, Cllr Teresa Murray (Lab) said she was seeking a meeting with leadership to better understand the decision.
She said: “At the moment, we are still coming out of the cost of living and increased charges are a growing burden on staff.
“I am going to ask for a special meeting to understand how this decision was made. It did not come to the governors before it came into effect.
“The hospital has a £47m deficit and this is their decision to make, but overall this is not making anything any better.
“I am not happy for anyone being charged when they need to park at the hospital but I do think in an area like Medway, particularly around the hospital, parking is at a premium.
“One of the things charging does is exert a measure of control and protect people who live in the area.
“The cost has been raised with me by the staff before. We have supported ways of making public transport more affordable through subsidised schemes.
“Making it more of an option by reducing the cost and the service better is part of the answer and we have to work on that.
“But the impact on staff and patients of this charge rise is something we need to be very conscious of.”