Priority call on hospitals

Health chiefs say they would like to see £11million spent on improving Kidderminster Hospital and Alexandra Hospital in Redditch as well as other patient facilities rather than on car parking.

They say funding would be better spent on improvements at the two hospitals and on radiotherapy for cancer patients, MRI and CT scanners rather than on building a multi-storey car park at Worcestershire Royal in Worcester.

For many years people have complained about a shortage of spaces at Worcestershire Royal Hospital where major surgery is carried out.

Visitors unable to find spaces during peak times of visiting during the day have also resorted to parking in nearby streets causing problems for local residents.

Now suggestions that a multi-storey car park could be built to solve the problem have been ruled out. A new car park is expected to cost up to £11 million.

Phil Milligan, the chief operating officer, has said that members of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust believe money should instead be spent on radiotherapy, refurbishment of wards and improvements to the other hospitals.

He said: "We would rather spend £11m on facilities for patients. We have had to make a judgement. We have tried to find a solution that means patients can park when they need to."

But he has admitted that people have claimed they were late for appointments because of difficulty in parking. Since the hospital opened seven years ago, car parking spaces have doubled to 1,200.

Trust board members hope to solve the problem by persuading staff to use a park-and-ride system, freeing up spaces for patients and visitors. It is hoped that by October as many as 200 spaces could be created at a park-and-ride facility at Sixways Stadium.