Another depressing day.
This last spring, I was involved in a campaign which tried to stop Ashford and St. Peter's hospitals charging holders of disabled drivers badges for the use of their car parks.
This Trust raises one of the largest amounts of money in the country from charging patients, visitors and staff for using the car parks. It's not something that people have much choice about - it's a tax on ill health and it's not what the NHS is about.
They tried the same thing in 2014 and we successfully stopped them. This time they didn't care about the bad publicity or the disapproval of local councils.
It is, after all, quite an unpopular Trust.
Sadly, we lost and the charges went on.
Today Frimley Park NHS Trust which is now administering Heatherwood and Wexham Park hospitals will be bringing in charges for disabled users. I have now doubt that Ashford and St. Peter's actions have emboldened them and it just shows how important it is to realise that the whole NHS is connected.
A defeat in one area means a defeat for all.
Although I'm now too ill to do a lot myself, I hope local users will oppose this move in Slough and force a rethink. Disabled drivers are some of the most active users of the NHS and often least able to pay.
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
Showing posts with label Disabled parking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disabled parking. Show all posts
Friday, 15 September 2017
Tuesday, 21 March 2017
The Truth about Ashford and St. Peter's Car Parking Charges.
Ashford and St. Peter's NHS Foundation Trust don't like to give out information about the revenue they receive from Parking Charges - it isn't separately itemised in their accounts.
I don't normally quote Murdoch's 'Sun' newspaper as it's got a history of attacking people and their rights.
However, in 2015 they did a large scale survey of NHS Hospital Parking Charges and the results are worth reading.
Not least because at an outrageous £1,438,490 Ashford and St. Peter's were raking in the fifth largest amount of money from parking in the whole country.
And now they want to charge the disabled as well!
----------//---------
The Sun
Taking the P
RIP-OFF BRITAIN: How hospitals milk us for cash
By BEN LAZARUS
16th October 2015, 11:01 pm
Updated: 6th April 2016, 1:12 am
NHS hospitals raked in almost £39MILLION in car parking fees over the past year, a Sun investigation can reveal.
Some pocketed almost £2million charging patients and visitors to park, with total parking revenue up £1million, new figures show.
That is despite Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s vow last year to crack down on rip-off NHS trusts.
The Sun obtained data from 100 hospitals in England through a Freedom of Information request, following our story yesterday highlighting the charges.
It revealed the scale of the controversial parking charges, which made those hospitals a total of £38,860,532 in 2014/15 — up from £37,707,587 in 2013/2014.
John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford pulled in £1,880,961, making it the highest-grossing of those we contacted.
The hospital, part of Oxford University Hospitals Trust, charges £7 for stays of more than four hours.
London’s Northwick Park came a close second, earning £1,847,851 in parking revenue.
It charges £2.50 for up to one hour and £28.50 for a seven-day pass.
The sky-high rates were criticised last night, with Caroline Davey, of baby charity Bliss, warning they were an extra stress for new mums whose babies needed treatment. She said: “They should not have the added worry of expensive car parking charges and whether they can even afford to visit their baby.
“We want to see hospitals make car parking free for all families with a baby in neonatal care.”
Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Hospital parking is often scarce, so some charges can help ensure it isn’t abused.
“But many taxpayers will feel let down at the scale of these charges at a time when many of them are simply visiting sick relatives.”
Labour MP Frank Field described The Sun’s findings as “an extraordinarily vicious tax on sickness and death and dying”. He called on Mr Hunt to “seek powers to instruct trusts that they should not be charging”.
He added: “What is so disappointing is that Mr Hunt asked hospitals not to raise prices and they have just put two fingers up to him.
“He has given them a chance, they can’t be trusted.
“There is a limit to which any sort of mockery the State should be prepared to take.”
Conservative MP Stephen Metcalfe expressed shock at the million-pound leap in parking revenue and admitted the trend was “very worrying”.
He said: “It is not right. Budgets are tight but increasing the amount made from charges is not the answer.
“It is an incredible amount of money and often hits the hardest those on the lowest incomes.
“Hospitals need to rethink how they are charging people.”
Who’s raking it in?
What hospitals and trusts make per year in parking fees
1. John Radcliffe, Oxford £1,880,961
2. Northwick Park, London £1,847,851
3. New Cross, Wolverhampton £1,546,380
4. Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham £1,490,035
5. St. Peter’s, Ashford, Surrey £1,438,490
6. Good Hope Hospital, West Mids £1,101,690
7. Royal United Hospital, Bath £1,063,885
8. Leighton Hospital, Crewe £1,018,071
9. Barnsley Hospital £905,256
10. Queen’s, Burton-on-Trent, Staffs £876,000
‘Time to own up’
JEREMY HUNT was yesterday urged to come clean over rip-off hospital parking after The Sun revealed charges were getting worse.
The Health Secretary’s promise to force NHS trusts to cut fees should be “taken with a large pinch of salt”, Shadow Health Minister Justin Madders said.
Figures showed this week that 63 per cent of trusts which charge for parking – 112 in total – defied Government guidelines and upped charges.
The fees make the NHS around £200million a year.
Mr Madders added: “It’s clear he has no plans to scrap these charges and he should just admit it. Patients are paying for the Government’s financial mismanagement.”
The attack came as the Scottish Government said families had saved £25million there since parking charges at most hospitals ended in 2009.
A spokesman called them “an unnecessary financial burden at a difficult time”.
The Department of Health insisted trusts set the costs.
----------//---------
But they are at it again - the charges at Ashford and St. Peter's went up in 2016 and, if they get their way they will go up this year as well.
Worse, following a Freedom of information request in 2016 I can reveal that if you include what they charge their staff for parking as well, in 2016 they pulled in an outrageous £2,071,942.
And that doesn't include the parking fines which go directly into the pocket of the private contractor who runs the parking for them.
I'm certainly saying that this 'Trust' is making quite enough money from it's able bodied visitors to not start charging the disabled as well. But isn't it obvious that the charges are too high for everyone?
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
I don't normally quote Murdoch's 'Sun' newspaper as it's got a history of attacking people and their rights.
However, in 2015 they did a large scale survey of NHS Hospital Parking Charges and the results are worth reading.
Not least because at an outrageous £1,438,490 Ashford and St. Peter's were raking in the fifth largest amount of money from parking in the whole country.
And now they want to charge the disabled as well!
----------//---------
The Sun
Taking the P
RIP-OFF BRITAIN: How hospitals milk us for cash
By BEN LAZARUS
16th October 2015, 11:01 pm
Updated: 6th April 2016, 1:12 am
NHS hospitals raked in almost £39MILLION in car parking fees over the past year, a Sun investigation can reveal.
Some pocketed almost £2million charging patients and visitors to park, with total parking revenue up £1million, new figures show.
That is despite Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s vow last year to crack down on rip-off NHS trusts.
The Sun obtained data from 100 hospitals in England through a Freedom of Information request, following our story yesterday highlighting the charges.
It revealed the scale of the controversial parking charges, which made those hospitals a total of £38,860,532 in 2014/15 — up from £37,707,587 in 2013/2014.
John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford pulled in £1,880,961, making it the highest-grossing of those we contacted.
The hospital, part of Oxford University Hospitals Trust, charges £7 for stays of more than four hours.
London’s Northwick Park came a close second, earning £1,847,851 in parking revenue.
It charges £2.50 for up to one hour and £28.50 for a seven-day pass.
The sky-high rates were criticised last night, with Caroline Davey, of baby charity Bliss, warning they were an extra stress for new mums whose babies needed treatment. She said: “They should not have the added worry of expensive car parking charges and whether they can even afford to visit their baby.
“We want to see hospitals make car parking free for all families with a baby in neonatal care.”
Jonathan Isaby, chief executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: “Hospital parking is often scarce, so some charges can help ensure it isn’t abused.
“But many taxpayers will feel let down at the scale of these charges at a time when many of them are simply visiting sick relatives.”
Labour MP Frank Field described The Sun’s findings as “an extraordinarily vicious tax on sickness and death and dying”. He called on Mr Hunt to “seek powers to instruct trusts that they should not be charging”.
He added: “What is so disappointing is that Mr Hunt asked hospitals not to raise prices and they have just put two fingers up to him.
“He has given them a chance, they can’t be trusted.
“There is a limit to which any sort of mockery the State should be prepared to take.”
Conservative MP Stephen Metcalfe expressed shock at the million-pound leap in parking revenue and admitted the trend was “very worrying”.
He said: “It is not right. Budgets are tight but increasing the amount made from charges is not the answer.
“It is an incredible amount of money and often hits the hardest those on the lowest incomes.
“Hospitals need to rethink how they are charging people.”
Who’s raking it in?
What hospitals and trusts make per year in parking fees
1. John Radcliffe, Oxford £1,880,961
2. Northwick Park, London £1,847,851
3. New Cross, Wolverhampton £1,546,380
4. Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham £1,490,035
5. St. Peter’s, Ashford, Surrey £1,438,490
6. Good Hope Hospital, West Mids £1,101,690
7. Royal United Hospital, Bath £1,063,885
8. Leighton Hospital, Crewe £1,018,071
9. Barnsley Hospital £905,256
10. Queen’s, Burton-on-Trent, Staffs £876,000
‘Time to own up’
JEREMY HUNT was yesterday urged to come clean over rip-off hospital parking after The Sun revealed charges were getting worse.
The Health Secretary’s promise to force NHS trusts to cut fees should be “taken with a large pinch of salt”, Shadow Health Minister Justin Madders said.
Figures showed this week that 63 per cent of trusts which charge for parking – 112 in total – defied Government guidelines and upped charges.
The fees make the NHS around £200million a year.
Mr Madders added: “It’s clear he has no plans to scrap these charges and he should just admit it. Patients are paying for the Government’s financial mismanagement.”
The attack came as the Scottish Government said families had saved £25million there since parking charges at most hospitals ended in 2009.
A spokesman called them “an unnecessary financial burden at a difficult time”.
The Department of Health insisted trusts set the costs.
----------//---------
But they are at it again - the charges at Ashford and St. Peter's went up in 2016 and, if they get their way they will go up this year as well.
Worse, following a Freedom of information request in 2016 I can reveal that if you include what they charge their staff for parking as well, in 2016 they pulled in an outrageous £2,071,942.
And that doesn't include the parking fines which go directly into the pocket of the private contractor who runs the parking for them.
FOI Request 4965 - Patient Parking Income
- Last Updated: Friday, 30 September 2016 15:28
| Case Number | 4965 |
| Request Date | 01/09/2016 |
| Completion Date | 22/09/2016 |
1. Please state what the income was to the Trust from parking income in patient car parks in
(i) the (14/15) financial year:
£1,850,735 combined patient and staff parking
(ii) the (15/16) financial year:
£2,071,942 combined patient and staff parking
I'm certainly saying that this 'Trust' is making quite enough money from it's able bodied visitors to not start charging the disabled as well. But isn't it obvious that the charges are too high for everyone?
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
Sunday, 19 March 2017
Ashford and St. Peter's set to charge the disabled to park - Stop them!
I must admit that while I was expecting this news one day, it came as a blow.
Two and a half years ago, Ashford and St. Peter's NHS Foundation Trust tried to introduce car parking charges for disabled people with 'Blue Badges'.
There was a storm of protest from groups representing patients and disabled groups and in some embarrassment the Trust withdrew the plan.
They've come back at us again, as this article from 'Get Surrey shows;
----------//-----------
Get Surrey NewsSt Peter's Hospital
Blue badge parking charges to be introduced at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals as trust 'needs to raise additional income'
The hospital has announced changes to its car parking policy at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals and an increase in its minimum parking charge
By Beth Duffell
13 MAR 2017
Blue badge holders will be charged to park at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals, as the trust faces a challenging financial climate and needs to raise additional income.
The news comes more than two years after the hospitals made a U-turn on plans to charge blue badge holders to park at the hospitals but then withdrew the plans at the last minute.
The board at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust announced on Friday (March 10) that it had agreed to introduce parking charges for blue badge holders at the two hospitals as part of a review of a travel and car parking policy.
The charges apply only to those people who do not meet the affordability criteria, which would enable free parking.
Discussions have taken place with patients and the hospital disability group and hospital chiefs said people did not agree with the decision.
A review will be completed before the new charging structure is put in place.
At the same time, and in another blow to those parking at the hospital, the trust said its minimum parking charge will increase from £3.20 for two hours to £3.50 for two hours.
-----------//-----------
Yesterday I was contacted by Caroline Watson, who organised the campaign last time round - there's a new petition and we desperately need signatures to get the campaign off the ground.
There may be rich people with Blue Badges but for most people a disability or a serious illness is not just a health disaster it's also a financial disaster too.
Free parking, close to the hospital entrance makes all the difference when it's agony to walk.
Two years ago I was fairly well and didn't need a badge. Now every step is a struggle and the difference my badge makes is huge.
Here's the petition, please sign and share it however you can, your support is appreciated;
https://www.change.org/p/aileen-mcleish-stop-ashford-st-peter-s-trust-from-over-turning-decision-to-car-disabled-parking?recruiter=26350087&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive
Finally, here is a couple more points.
The government has made it clear that car park charges are not to be used as a means of raising income - which is exactly what the Trust is attempting to do.
Secondly, two years ago I published this Blog in support of striking health Workers at St. Peter's - it exposed how the trust misused £128,000 in 2014, which was about the money that charging Blue badge holders would have brought in;
------------//-----------
Managers and medics travelled to New York, Miami and Pennsylvania for a week-long fact-finding mission.
Their counterparts at North West Surrey CCG cost £14,000.
Of course, the alternative would be to employ another 10
nurses across the four trusts.
The National Health Service has been praised
as the world's best health-care system by an international panel of experts who
said it was superior to those found in countries which spend far more on
health.
The study, entitled “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall,” also described US healthcare provision as the worst globally. Despite investing the most money in health, the US refuses care to many patients without health insurance and is also the worst at saving the lives of people who fall ill, it found.
The Commonwealth Fund, a Washington-based foundation produced the report. The fund is respected around the world for its analysis of the performance of different countries' health systems. It examined 11 countries, including detailed data from patients, doctors and the World Health Organisation, the Guardian reported.
"The
United Kingdom ranks first overall, scoring highest on quality, access and
efficiency," the fund's researchers conclude in their 30-page report.
Their findings amount to a huge endorsement of the health service, especially
as it spends the second-lowest amount on healthcare among the 11 – just £2,008
per head, less than half the £5,017 in the US. Only New Zealand, with £1,876,
spent less.
In the
Commonwealth Fund study, the UK came first out of the 11 countries in eight of
the 11 measures of care the authors looked at. It came top on measures
including providing effective care, safe care, co-ordinated care and
patient-centred care. The fund also rated the NHS as the best for giving access
to care and for efficient use of resources.
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
Two and a half years ago, Ashford and St. Peter's NHS Foundation Trust tried to introduce car parking charges for disabled people with 'Blue Badges'.
There was a storm of protest from groups representing patients and disabled groups and in some embarrassment the Trust withdrew the plan.
They've come back at us again, as this article from 'Get Surrey shows;
----------//-----------
Get Surrey NewsSt Peter's Hospital
Blue badge parking charges to be introduced at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals as trust 'needs to raise additional income'
The hospital has announced changes to its car parking policy at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals and an increase in its minimum parking charge
By Beth Duffell
13 MAR 2017
Blue badge holders will be charged to park at Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals, as the trust faces a challenging financial climate and needs to raise additional income.
The news comes more than two years after the hospitals made a U-turn on plans to charge blue badge holders to park at the hospitals but then withdrew the plans at the last minute.
The board at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust announced on Friday (March 10) that it had agreed to introduce parking charges for blue badge holders at the two hospitals as part of a review of a travel and car parking policy.
The charges apply only to those people who do not meet the affordability criteria, which would enable free parking.
Discussions have taken place with patients and the hospital disability group and hospital chiefs said people did not agree with the decision.
A review will be completed before the new charging structure is put in place.
At the same time, and in another blow to those parking at the hospital, the trust said its minimum parking charge will increase from £3.20 for two hours to £3.50 for two hours.
-----------//-----------
Yesterday I was contacted by Caroline Watson, who organised the campaign last time round - there's a new petition and we desperately need signatures to get the campaign off the ground.
There may be rich people with Blue Badges but for most people a disability or a serious illness is not just a health disaster it's also a financial disaster too.
Free parking, close to the hospital entrance makes all the difference when it's agony to walk.
Two years ago I was fairly well and didn't need a badge. Now every step is a struggle and the difference my badge makes is huge.
Here's the petition, please sign and share it however you can, your support is appreciated;
https://www.change.org/p/aileen-mcleish-stop-ashford-st-peter-s-trust-from-over-turning-decision-to-car-disabled-parking?recruiter=26350087&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=share_email_responsive
Finally, here is a couple more points.
The government has made it clear that car park charges are not to be used as a means of raising income - which is exactly what the Trust is attempting to do.
Secondly, two years ago I published this Blog in support of striking health Workers at St. Peter's - it exposed how the trust misused £128,000 in 2014, which was about the money that charging Blue badge holders would have brought in;
------------//-----------
Last month St. Peter’s Hospitals health workers and support
staff were demonstrating outside the front entrance. Unlike management, they
are subject to what is really a pay freeze at a time of rapid inflation.
It’s another world at the top of the NHS Trusts, as this
extract from a story in The Daily Express (23/6/14) shows;
Managers and medics travelled to New York, Miami and Pennsylvania for a week-long fact-finding mission.
It cost the
four medical groups – all in Surrey – £281,100, an average of £1,434 per
person, per day.
Ashford and
St Peter’s Hospitals Foundation Trust spent £128,000 sending a 12-strong
contingent.
Royal
Surrey County Hospital – which cut 70 jobs last year – sent 12 staff at a cost
of £117,700.
Dr David
Eyre-Brook, chair of Guildford and Waverley Clinical Commissioning Group and
its deputy chief executive Karen McDowell ran up a bill of £21,400.
Their counterparts at North West Surrey CCG cost £14,000.
The money wasted by Ashford and St. Peters alone would have
paid for another consultant or 5 nurses. As each nurse would ideally cover
about 8 beds, those 5 nurses (accounting for shifts, time off, holidays and
courses) would mean about 8 operations a week extra or about 400 a year.
Was the trip worthwhile?
They obviously didn’t read this study which I recently
republished;
The study, entitled “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall,” also described US healthcare provision as the worst globally. Despite investing the most money in health, the US refuses care to many patients without health insurance and is also the worst at saving the lives of people who fall ill, it found.
The Commonwealth Fund, a Washington-based foundation produced the report. The fund is respected around the world for its analysis of the performance of different countries' health systems. It examined 11 countries, including detailed data from patients, doctors and the World Health Organisation, the Guardian reported.
What a waste.
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
Monday, 21 March 2016
Blue badge!
It arrived!
At last!
Thanks to Dr Feelgood and Maggies cancer centre at Charing Cross Hospital I'm getting some money from the state (until George Osborne cuts it off) a Freedom Pass for free travel in London and best of all.....I've got a disabled parking badge:
This time last year I was in so much pain I couldn't travel to hospital on the tube - we had to take the bus and I would be screaming every time it braked or turned a corner.
It would take me a week to recover.
Later on I was using the bus for months with a walking frame - I was not popular, I can tell you.
I'm a lot better now but the journeys to Hospital are still gruelling.
I used the pass twice yesterday to celebrate!
It's also sad because you have to be quite ill to get one, unless you lie. Now I get up to all sorts of things (we have plans for this week!) but getting about is really painful so I actually do need one.
So while getting the pass is a big deal it's also a sad moment for me too.
Mind you, Robyn's really celebrating!.
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
Friday, 1 August 2014
"We're not gloating!"
This is from today's 'Get Surrey', and it's the more official version of what happened yesterday - the paper got sent the hospital press release.
I like 'Get Surrey' as the paper keeps an eye on developments in the NHS and reports on local campaigns, which is why I always credit their reports. Just as well, because when the online version of the paper reported the Egham meeting they stole my photo from here, without crediting it!
Nice to know you're keeping an eye on the Blog - hey?
plans to start charging disability blue badge holders to park at Ashford & St Peter's hospitals have been withdrawn.
The surprise U-turn came at the NHS trust's board meeting on Thursday, the day before the scheduled introduction of controversial parking charges.
The trust was due to start charging all blue badge holders, although people on benefits would have been able to claim parking charges back.
The meeting on Thursday was to allow the board to "reflect" on the decision to introduce the charges, as well as assess the "strength of feeling" from the public.
Members of the public were informed by trust chairman Aileen McLeish that they would no longer be going ahead with plans to charge all blue badge holders.
A petition had been signed by more than 700 people, calling on the plans to be scrapped.
@ASPHFT Board has listened to feedback from local people and has made the decision not to charge blue badge holders for parking
— Ashford & St Peter's (@ASPHFT) July 31, 2014
Caroline Williams, who started the petition, said she was "walking on air" when she heard the announcement.
Mrs Williams, from Molesey Road in Hersham, said: "I was totally stunned. I thought they were going to have made their decision.
"I thought it was a done deal. I started the petition on a Friday night and by the morning I had 10 signatures. It went up to 100 and I thought 'this has got some momentum'.
"Not everyone with a badge is on benefits. I thought the little people needed some help.
"I want to thank everybody who has helped with the campaign and signed the petition."
A meeting was held on July 17 at the Hythe Centre in Egham, to discuss the changes, which were met with heated disapproval.
'Over a barrel'
Fellow campaigner Mick Flannigan added: "We are not gloating, but this comes as an immense relief to many disabled people and their carers.
"We had feared the worst, as the board seemed to have us over a barrel. They seemed not to be taking any notice of the petition from over 700 objectors, plus the great show of anger at a recent public meeting.
"Only this week, notices had been fixed at the hospitals, making it clear that the new charges would come into force on August 1 - and that blue badge holders would have to take a ticket and make the due payment before passing through the exit barriers.
"So to all appearances, it [had] looked like the board's promised 'reflection' on its proposals was not being honoured."
Anyway the lessons from this protest are that if you are targettign a local body; keep the protests aims limited and achievable, mobilise support quickly and make the pain of carrying out the decision far greater than the financial saving.
We fight on!
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home; helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestopkeep@gmail.com
Thursday, 31 July 2014
We win!
There we were back on the 17th July, mobilised in
Egham to demonstrate our opposition to Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospital NHS
Foundation Trust’s decision to charge disabled badge holders for parking.
iDoh!
This is penalising those who are least able to pay.
After an impressive display of united opposition, the trust
agreed to reconsider and some of us turned up today at St. Peter’s to hear what
they had to say at the next board meeting.
Here’s some of the opposition;
bTake a bow Caroline Williams, who organised an online petition
and gathered over 600 signatures in a very short time.
Most importantly, that produced enough publicity to get the
rest of us involved and to mobilise a roomful of courageous disability activists
on a sweltering hot Thursday afternoon.
The Board caved in before we were allowed in – right back to
where we started; no charges for disabled people visiting the hospitals.
I was surprised and pleased; it just goes to show that public
protest can work wonders, especially where the amount of money involved is
relatively small and the potential for bad publicity is high.
I stayed on for the rest of the meeting and the questions but
as I’ve been having a rough time recently and there’ve been a few too many serious
Blogs recently, I think I’ll report on that a bit later and combine it with a
profile of the new Chief Executive.
Well done Caroline Williams!
Neil Harris
(a don’t stop till you drop production)
#help me sort out
St. Peters!
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.comContact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
Sunday, 27 July 2014
One more push? Disabled parking charges at Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals.
This matters because at the last meeting the board decided that disabled people with blue badges would no longer get free parking.
As you'll remember, the Trust held a 'consultation' meeting at The Hythe, Egham after they took that decision and were faced with a hall full of people who came to register their opposition to the change.
I don't believe that many people are inherently bad and as the Chair told us that the board would reconsider the decision in the light of this consultation we will have to take them at their word.
I do believe that sometimes, you have to help people to make the right decision.
So we need to be there, to help the board do the right thing and to bear witness if they do not.
I've got difficulties being there but I'm going to try and I'd urge others to do the same, even though it's a working day.
We'll see what happens!
Neil Harris
(a don't stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
Contact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
Friday, 18 July 2014
Ashford and St. Peter's NHS Foundation Trust hammering the disabled.
On Thursday afternoon I headed to The Hythe Community Centre in Egham for a public consultation by Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust about its decision to charge disabled badge holders for parking at the hospitals.
The meeting only happened because Caroline Williams had organised a Twitter
petition to oppose this – in a very short time gaining 500 + signatures.
Holding the meeting in working hours prevented many from
attending including Caroline herself but many
disabled people, including some prominent activists, managed to attend as you can
see;
I counted 47 before the meeting began.
While the Trust called the meeting a ‘consultation’ they
eventually admitted that the consultation had actually happened already and that the
decision had already been taken at the previous board meeting.
Here’s the Chair Aileen McLeish and Simon Martin the Director
of Finance;
We were told that while there were disagreements all three
groups had supported the decision but then two members of the disability access
group got up and explained that all their representatives had opposed this
proposal.
This is Valerie Bartlett the deputy chief executive;
Here's an alternative; Andrew Liles the Chief Executive didn't bother
to attend – perhaps he was preparing for his new job as a
consultant for a private medical group. His current salary is £188,000 before
benefits are included – there’s a potential saving for a start.
Borough councillors for the area attended, one pointing out
that it is always the disabled who end up paying while other members of the
audience explained how all disabled groups present opposed this decision.
There were plenty of questions from the floor and no one was prepared to be patronised either;
The Director of Finance confirmed to me that parking revenue
is currently £1.4 million with a further £350,000 paid by staff who are
understandably very angry that they are forced to pay to park at their own workplaces.
One member of the disability advisory group explained how he
was “disappointed, annoyed, upset but not surprised” by the decision.
The depth of anger was remarkable and only inflamed when
governors for Woking and Hounslow stated that they had voted for the charges – unelected
‘representatives’ speaking for no one but themselves.
Certainly, Hounslow, Brentford and Feltham people would have
put their ‘representative’ in his place if he’d spoken to them about his
decision to support this charge.
When the chair told us that our views would be put to the
board at its next meeting and that the decision could be reversed I demanded that it be
put to a vote of the meeting to ensure that everyone was clear how we all felt;
everyone except the unelected governor for Hounslow voted against the charges.
We won’t be giving up on this one any time soon – Disabled badge holders
are the most vunerable and most frequent users of the hospitals.
People on benefits are unaware that they can get refunds because
there is no publicity to tell people about this but in any event, members of
the audience made it clear that many people not on benefits suffer real
hardship paying the parking fees.
The financial pressures of attending hospital as a patient or
a visitor are clearly alien to managers whose large salaries put them in
another world.
At the heart of all this is a determination by disabled
people that there is a principle here – no tax on patients.
Equally determined , the hospital management want this charge
to take away the last group who get free parking.
Next stop? More charges, more privatisation.
Keep your eyes on this space, the fight continues!
Neil Harris
(a don’t stop till you drop production)
Home: helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.comContact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
Thursday, 17 July 2014
Blue badge Parking at Ashford and St. Peter's Hospitals.
Here’s an article from ‘Get Surrey’ and an advertisement for
a public meeting today (Thursday 17th July 2014). I’ve got a couple
of things to say about this at the end of the article;
Paralympians
Tanni Grey-Thompson and David Weir back Ashford & St Peter's disabled
parking charges petition
Get Surrey
Jun 26, 2014 15:06
By Chris Caulfield
An open
meeting will be held in July to discuss the contentious issue of hospitals
charging blue badge holders to park
Hundreds of
people, including Paralympic athletes, are backing a petition calling on
Ashford & St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to reverse its decision
to charge disability blue badge holders to park their cars.
In April,
the trust announced it was planning to charge disabled users of its hospitals
for parking, leading to anger at the "victimisation" of a group of people
likely to use healthcare services more than others.
One
opponent, Caroline Williams, decided she had heard enough and is petitioning the
NHS board to reverse its decision.
Her efforts
have gained support from two athletes who represented Great Britain during the
London 2012 Paralympic Games, Tanni Grey-Thompson and David Weir.
Mrs
Williams, 50, of Molesey Road in Hersham, said: “I’m not disabled but my mother
is and I have got several good friends who are blue badge holders.
“It’s
unfair to make them pay for car parking.
“Not all of
them are entitled to means-tested benefits to claim back the charges.
“My mother
was effectively nursing my father at the hospital. If she hadn’t had her blue
badge pass, she would have been spending £40 a day.
"It’s
putting more stress on people who have already got enough.
“The
petition has already been signed by British Paralympians Tanni Grey-Thompson
and David Weir, and it’s been constantly retweeted.
“I’m not
political or anything, I just wanted to do something to stop them going after
an easy target.”
Mrs
Williams added: “I went to my mum’s and she was up in arms about it. I came home
and started up the petition, and by the next morning people had started signing
it.”
The
petition to outgoing chief executive Andrew Liles, deputy chief executive Valerie
Bartlett and trust chairman Aileen McLeish calls on them "to stop the introduction
of car parking charges for the disabled".
The trust
is planning to hold an open meeting to discuss the issue in more detail, at
3pm on Thursday July 17 at the Hythe Centre in Egham.
Here’s my views on this issue;
In the last financial year, the trust raked in £1,401,867 in
Car parking fees from able-bodied people but as these were collected on its
behalf by a private company their take after expenses and profits would be a
lot less.
The people who attend hospital are likely to be old and/or
infirm and in many cases don’t get the state benefits which would entitle them
to a refund (if they are told about it).
For patients and their visitors these charges are a huge
burden – one that the highly paid managers don’t share.
People shorten visits or reduce visits because of the cost of
parking.
The amount of extra revenue they hope to steal from blue
badge holders will be relatively trivial in terms of revenue but a real
struggle for those who have to pay.
Of course there is a need for this money;
In May, managers and medics travelled to New York, Miami and
Pennsylvania for a week-long fact-finding mission as part of a larger group
from Surrey trusts.
Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals Foundation Trust alone spent
£128,000 sending their 12-strong contingent.
That works out at £10,666 per person per week. There aren’t
too many patients of the hospital get to spend that kind of money on a holiday.
And that kind of money pays for a lot of blue badge holders
parking at the hospitals.
The Hospital trust sees this as an easy way to make money –
we need to make it clear that’s not going to happen.
Neil Harris
(a don’t stop till you drop production)
Home; helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.comContact me: neilwithpromisestokeep@gmail.com
u
helpmesortoutstpeters.blogspot.com
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