Car parking charges to rise at Stafford County Hospital next month

The University Hospital of North Midlands has decided to increase charges at both the County Hospital and the Royal Stoke University Hospital after a review.

The decision has been made based on rising costs of servicing and maintaining car parks and there will be new fees for each of the patient and visitor tariffs with the largest increase from £9 to £9.50 for 24 hours.

The exemptions for cancer, critical care, renal, high dependency, and maternity patients will remain in place and the concessionary parking permit for frequent patients and visitors will also continue to be available for £15 per week.

The trust is also increasing the cost of staff parking permits. The 2017/18 hourly average staff car parking rate for an acute trust is 14 pence, according to the trust. The increase will bring the hourly average staff parking rate at UHNM to eight pence, still well below the national average.

A trust spokesman said: “The trust has to balance the needs of patients, visitors and staff. The parking fees at University Hospital are still lower than many other trusts nationwide.

"It is important that we are able to keep parking fees low for patients, visitors and staff.

"However, we need to ensure the creation, maintenance, service and security of car parking does not impact on the finances allocated for direct patient care for a hospital that treats more than two million patients a year.”