Parking for patients and visitors at Warrington and Halton Hospitals set to become easier with a range of changes being put in place over the coming months.

Car parking has long been identified as many patients’ number one frustration when visiting both Warrington and Halton hospitals. Being unable to find a space at busy times on the car parks causes anxiety and patients to arrive late for appointments or arrive too early in order to ensure they find a space, which then causes a knock on for other patients as spaces are occupied.

In order to change the system a number of changes are being put into place. The main car parks at the hospital will become barrier controlled so they are solely for the use of patients and visitors. At present, anyone is able to use the car park.

The hospitals’ elected public governors have helped to promote a number of improvements to the system after patients and the public told them that parking was a major issue in responses to surveys and meetings over the last year. The trust’s transport group, which includes staff and union representatives, have developed the new plan.

The hospitals are unable to increase the number of overall spaces available due to space and the significant cost and have had to review schemes to re-allocate spaces from staff to patients. This is necessary to re-balance the numbers, as staff have increasingly dominated the spaces available over the last few years.

In order to change the system a number of changes are being put into place.

• The main car parks at the hospitals will become barrier controlled later this year so they are solely for the use of patients and visitors
• Additional disabled spaces will be created around the site close to main entrances and departments
• Discounts for regular visitors and patients (for instance those who have to come for a series of treatments) will be better advertised
• The total number of staff spaces will be reduced and given over to patients. Staff will be encouraged to use public and green transport when they live close to the hospitals or car share where possible.

The changes will apply to both the Warrington and Halton hospital sites. There will be no increase in parking costs as part of these plans.

All staff permits are being reviewed on criteria such as shift working, need to have a car for work business, distance to work from home, ease of access to public transport and any caring responsibilities. At present any staff member can apply for and receive a permit. The new system aims to help the hospitals use the spaces available in the best way.

The hospitals invested over £1 million in parking two years ago to create new car parks at the rear of the Warrington Hospital site and also lease an off-site car park at the rear of the Warrington hospital site for extra staff parking.

Original article from http://www.warringtonandhaltonhospitals.nhs.uk

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