Melrose Scotland - Doctor’s anger at £90 hospital parking ticket

[Web Admin]

Doctor’s anger at £90 hospital parking ticket

A visit by a five-year-old with severe acute arthritis to her consultant paediatric rheumatologist proved costly for her parents.

In order to get his daughter Eloise to her appointment at Borders General Hospital last week as painlessly as possible, Robert Lambourn parked in a wheelchair bay.

Eloise, from Foulden in Berwickshire, is unable to walk any distance and Dr Lambourn parked in the bay so he could transfer her from the car to her wheelchair.

He displayed a sign on the car saying “wheelchair user”, but when they returned to their vehicle, Eloise in her wheelchair, they found a parking ticket attached to the windscreen, advising them of a £90 fine.

Dr Lambourn, a GP in the north Northumberland town of Wooler, said: “The car park attendant refused to apologise, verify his surname or discuss matters further, and I insisted on seeing a hospital complaints officer.

“It is unfortunate that although car parking is supposed to be free, it would seem that the hospital is profiteering by charging little girls in wheelchairs, with severe pain, £90 for the privilege of parking.”

Eloise’s mother, Elizabeth Batley, also a Wooler GP, added: “It is distressing enough having a little girl in pain and unable to walk, without the hospital behaving in this manner.”

Dr Lambourn and Dr Batley say they have always had excellent clinical treatment at Borders General Hospital and commended complaints officer Susan Cowe for her prompt and compassionate action.

However, they are frustrated that the parking attendant issued the ticket because an official disabled badge was not displayed on the car, even though it was obvious Eloise was using a wheelchair and there was clearly a sign on their vehicle.

An NHS Borders spokesperson said: “A car parking management system was introduced at the Borders General Hospital in November 2013. Car parking attendants are employees of NHS Borders and the system is administered by Minster Baywatch.

“Parking charge notices will be issued to vehicles that are ‘incorrectly’ parked at any time. Incorrect parking refers to vehicles parked on footpaths, yellow lines, ambulance bays, painted chevrons, grassed area and disabled spaces if a valid disabled badge is not displayed.

“An appeals process is in place, details of which are included on the parking charge notice. As this issue is currently being investigated we are unable to give any further details at this stage.”


http://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/news/health/doctor-s-anger-at-90-hospital-parking-ticket-1-3720897

Minster Baywatch link:

http://www.minsterbaywatch.co.uk/

[Ewan Hoosami]

There was enough info in that story. I've found the good Doctor's website and sent him an email. By Monday he'll know the difference between a fine and a sPeCulative iNvoice and also how to deal with it.

[Overlord]

There was enough info in that story. I've found the good Doctor's website and sent him an email. By Monday he'll know the difference between a fine and a sPeCulative iNvoice and also how to deal with it.

 

Good work Ewan Hoosami. Hope there's a favourable outcome.

[Ewan Hoosami]

I'd like to think so. He now knows how to get hold of Messrs Pranky, Cowboys & Pepipoo, the famous armchair law firm. He might even visit some unregulated forum where he'll be told not to pay.

[Kill Switch]

....unregulated forum......

...more like a public service site

[Ewan Hoosami]

I was referring to when Trouser-Fire moaned about 'unregulated forums' (the cheeky bastard). Bargepole of MSE reported at the time that there was draft guidance planned which might appease the flaming trousered one,

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5181854&highlight=

Anyway, that's enough of that for now. The good Doctor has replied already, thanking us for our help although he was nobody's patsy to begin with,

"Many thanks for taking the trouble to contact me- all very helpful stuff - the hopital have withdrawn the parking charge, although they are still looking at my complaint against them."

Note only the hospital have cancelled and Minsterbaywatch may have other plans so Doc may not be out of the woods just yet. I wonder if he's any good at treating severe burns to the lower body?

[The Bald Eagle]

I hadn't originally looked at the thread started by Bargepole (see Ewan's post above), but having spoken to Coco and him pointing out the dangerous nature of what is being proposed, I think it is well worth repeating the whole of the post on this forum.

---------------------------------------------------------------

New Government Body To Regulate Forums

Following representations by Patrick Troy of the British Parking Association to the Secretary of State for Transport, the Government has decided to set up a new regulatory body, to oversee the standard of advice on internet consumer forums, currently an unregulated activity which can lead to conflicting and misleading advice being given to consumers.

The new body will have similar powers to Ofcom, Ofgem, etc., and will be known as the Office For Furtherance of Useful Consumer Knowledge. Starting from April 1st 2015, any forum poster who gives specific advice to a consumer on a website, will have to ensure that the advice given is legally correct.

In order to monitor this activity, all such postings will be automatically copied to an independent body, where they will be checked and assessed for legal accuracy. This part of the process has been outsourced to the private sector, where Gladstones Solicitors of Knutsford, with their extensive national network of completely independent solicitors and barristers who are not connected to Gladstones in any way whatsoever, will ensure compliance.

Persons found to have posted advice which is incorrect will face sanctions of fines of £1,000 for a first offence, rising to up to £5,000 for second and subsequent offences.

Mr Troy welcomed the move, and expressed the wish that this would help to drive up standards in the forum advice sector, in the same way that the BPA constantly strives to drive up standards in the private parking sector. He was unavailable for further comment, due to an urgent appointment with his tailor to be measured for a new pair of trousers.

[scalyback]

Furthermore, It should also be noted that "Correct Information" will in future mean that "Monday Musings" must, infact be available on a Monday, whereas previous Tuesday Tantrums, Wednesday Whinings, and the occasional Thursday Fibbing, will no longer be acceptable.

If indeed; it was ever deemed accurate and acceptable in the first place.

[Kill Switch]

I'm sure I've given advice in the past, oh fuck!

[Anonymous]

I'm sure I've given advice in the past, oh fuck!

And you are now going to be reported to OFF fUCK!

[Kill Switch]

And you are now going to be reported to OFF fUCK!

Oh shit!

[scalyback]

In wake of the new restrictions on the monday musings, a BPA spokesthing reportedly said "Oh shit!"

[scalyback]

It seems to be spreading.