"Parking very angry"

I am sorry that the number of tests and the medication you required led to you being in the hospital for such a length of time.

The Trust made the folowing comments when the charges initially increased last year:

Car Parking 2015

"George Eliot Hospital has recently reviewed its car parking charges for patients, visitors and staff as no review had been undertaken since 2010. We have tried to keep the new charges as low as possible and, whilst the charges are slightly increased, they have been benchmarked against many similar Trusts and still represent one of the cheapest charging tariffs both locally and across regional NHS Trusts.

Along with other all other Hospital Trusts we have to operate, maintain and provide secure car parks for people coming to the George Eliot Hospital as well as maintaining the footpaths and crossings, provide lighting and CCTV.

Hospitals receive limited funding and in order not to use the clinical budget that pays for the provision of healthcare (such as paying our nurses and doctors) to achieve this, we have to charge staff and visitors to park on site.

There are concessions available to those on certain benefits, visitors to patients at the end of life and patients regularly attending hospital for chemotherapy or dialysis treatment.

Details of eligibility are available on the NHS Choices web site.

Additionally, there are weekly and monthly tickets available to visitors and patients who have to make frequent visits for other reasons which represent a much reduced day fee with the monthly ticket working out at £1 per day. "

While I understand that this information will not change your views I hope that it explains the circumstances and rationale for the changes.

Kind Regards

Christine Longstaff on behalf of the George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust