Author Topic: New parking rules at Royal Free Hospital are a ‘nightmare’ for disabled patients  (Read 4081 times)

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Offline Web Admin

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New parking rules at Royal Free Hospital are a ‘nightmare’ for disabled patients

Health chiefs at the Royal Free Hospital have been accused of creating a “nightmare” for disabled patients with a new parking system aimed at rooting out abuse of blue badge parking permits.

Since October, disabled patients have been required on each visit to walk to reception points at the hospital in Pond Street, Hampstead, to register their blue badge permits before leaving their cars in disabled bays.

Before the changes were introduced, disabled patients were free to leave their blue badges on display in their cars without the need to register them.

Disabled couple John and Irene Slatter, who visit the hospital up to three times a week, have received four separate fines as a result of the new rules.

They told the Ham&High that disabled patients are extremely unhappy with the system.

Mrs Slatter, 71, who lives with her husband in Somali Road, West Hampstead, has walking difficulties after suffering from polio as a child, while Mr Slatter, 69, is partially-sighted because of diabetes.

The couple have had their fines overturned after complaining that they were not aware of the new rules.

Mrs Slatter said: “It’s a nightmare because I’m on crutches – [walking to reception on each visit] just means an extra thing to do.

“It just makes life harder, and life for disabled people is hard enough without making it harder.

“I’m amazed a hospital like the Royal Free is making life more difficult for disabled people instead of easier.

“I’m sure there must be software that means once the vehicle is registered, it will be recognised every time you visit. I don’t mean to sound whiney, but to have one extra thing to do sometimes is too much.”

She added: “I understand they want to earn money and cut out abuse, but at the expense of who? The disabled patients – and that’s not right for a hospital.”

A Royal Free Hospital spokesman said: “The blue badge process has changed to ensure more visitors can access these designated spaces.

“The trust was aware that cars were often left blocking these spaces for the whole day or even up to a week, meaning that those that required easy access into the hospital were prevented from doing so.”

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http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/new_parking_rules_at_royal_free_hospital_are_a_nightmare_for_disabled_patients_1_3171431

Offline Web Admin

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Royal Free Hospital parking fines for disabled people

Posted by The Professor (as the patient), last month

I am 85 year old man with a pacemaker due to 'heart failure' and have to have regular blood tests at the Royal Free Hospital to check that everything is right with the prescribed Warfarin.

During my last two visits, as usual, I parked in the two storey car park that serves the Royal Free Hospital, London, NW3. There are Blue Badge disabled parking bays on the ground level, but as these are usually full, I had to park in normal parking bays on both these last two occasions.

Subsequently, I received two parking tickets, in the post, from Parking Eye, demanding £50 parking fee.

I went into the hospital, and spoke to Patient Liaison Service, who cancelled one of the tickets, as she stated that the system had just been brought in, and thus was sympathetic to my case, but she refused to cancel the second ticket, saying that she was not able to cancel tickets that originated from 'illegal' parking after 11th, as that was their cut off date.

It used to be that Blue Badge holders could park on normal bays if they displayed their badge. Parking Eye must have recently taken over the parking at the car park. Apparently PALS are cancelling tickets that originated before 11th, as patients are not aware of the change in conditions, despite notices being put up.

I think it is shocking that there was not a disabled bay available for me to park in and that I have been given another parking ticket. The woman who dealt with me at Patient Liaison Service was incredibly rude and did not help at all with the second ticket, and it was like being in a circus. At this late stage in my life, and with my heart condition, the one thing I really do not need is to have to go to court.

Why on earth do disabled patients at the hospital have to put up with this disgraceful treatment? It is not like I can hop on a bus to get to the hospital, and I am not a millionaire.

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https://www.patientopinion.org.uk/opinions/121753

Offline Ewan Hoosami

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  • Veni, Vidi, $chunti. I came, I saw, I assisted.
Since October, disabled patients have been required on each visit to walk to reception points at the hospital in Pond Street, Hampstead, to register their blue badge permits before leaving their cars in disabled bays.


The whole concept of the Blue Badge scheme is so that disabled people can park somewhere which limits the distance they have to walk. To then make them shuffle along to Pond Street and back every time they visit tells me someone hasn't thought this through.

On the other hand, to encourage them to leave their cars parked in an area controlled by the BPA Ltd's flagship member with no badge or permit on display, while they shuffle along to Pond Street and back, tells me that someone has thought this through.

Ker-ching!

A ParkingEye spokeweasel said, "Muahahahahahahahah! Muahahahahahahahah! Muahahahahahahaha!"

Appealing to the council is like playing chess with a pigeon. You might be a chess grand master but the pigeon will always knock all the pieces over, shit on the board and then strut around triumphantly.

Offline Pat Pending

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Quote...."The whole concept of the Blue Badge scheme is so that disabled people can park somewhere which limits the distance they have to walk. To then make them shuffle along to Pond Street and back every time they visit tells me someone hasn't thought this through.

On the other hand, to encourage them to leave their cars parked in an area controlled by the BPA Ltd's flagship member with no badge or permit on display, while they shuffle along to Pond Street and back, tells me that someone has thought this through."

Unfortunately  Ewan, I suspect it was very carefully thought & through with input and experience from Parking Eye Weasels.  <_>
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Beer in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up,  totally worn out and screaming "WOO-HOO, what a  ride!!"

 


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