Cllr Macpherson meets NHS Tayside about Ninewells Hospital parking charges
Following a request by Dundee City Council LibDem Group Leader Cllr Fraser Macpherson, Council Leader Jill Shimi and Cllr Neil Powrie, a meeting with representatives of NHS Tayside including Chair Peter Bates and Chief Executive Gerry Marr has been held to discuss the new parking charges at Ninewells Hospital.
During the discussions, there were frank exchanges as the city councillors were determined to reflect the strongly held views of their constituents that it is unfair to charge disabled people for attending regular hospital appointments.
As a result of the meeting, NHS Tayside has agreed to conduct an ongoing survey of the disabled aspect of the new charging arrangements during the first six months of operation of the new charges.
The city councillors welcome this move as the evidence gathered from the survey will be used by NHS Tayside to inform any future decisions.
As well as the introduction of the survey, the councillors received an assurance that appropriate representation from disability groups active in the city will be included in the review process.
There is clearly an issue for NHS Tayside with short term parking in car parks 5 and 6 nearest to the hospital. These are intended for visitors and patients.
The councillors recognise that NHS Tayside have a responsibility to ensure a regular turnover in these locations for the overall operation of the hospital but if the variable charges proposed for car parks 5 and 6 do not achieve a substantial increase in turnover, city councillors requested that the variable charges be reviewed.
Councillors have made clear that they will press for the situation to be reviewed after the six month survey period if there is no substantial improvement in the required turnover of vehicles in these car parks which are vital for patients and visitors.
Agreement was reached to meet again in six months.
After the meeting, Cllr Fraser Macpherson said,
"I welcomed the opportunity to meet with NHS Tayside's Chair and Chief Executive to put across the very real concerns raised by many of my constituents about the decisions made by the Tayside NHS Board about parking charges. In particular, very many constituents have expressed concern about the proposals to charge disabled drivers.
"The NHS Tayside representatives made clear that although the NHS Board's decision on charges would not be revisited before the end of the six month review process, they did agree to undertake ongoing surveys of the effects of the charging policy throughout the review process. I think that any final decisions the Tayside NHS Board makes at the end of the review process must be evidence-based and the NHS Tayside representatives made clear that this would be done in an open and transparent manner.
"It is vitally important that disability groups are fully involved and consulted throughout the review process and I am pleased that the NHS Tayside representatives gave assurances in this regard. I will be keeping a close eye on the situation and look forward to meeting again with NHS Tayside towards the end of the review period.
Cllr Macpherson continued, "I have continually made clear my disquiet at the charging proposals and in particular those related to disabled drivers. On the wider issue of charging at hospital car parks right across Scotland, I have written to the Health Minister and welcome the fact that the Scottish Parliament Health Committee is also researching the issue. This is an issue of concern to many citizens in Dundee and right across Scotland."