NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Car Parking Policy

Presentation to the Review of Hospital Car Parking

25th October 2007

Why a New Car Parking Policy?

• No controls – first come, first served• Patients, visitors and staff using vehicles for

duties unable to park• Spaces tied up all day by staff and others not

moving offsite• Car parks not compliant with national/local

authority ‘green’ requirements• Poor layouts and site conditions• Not meeting DDA responsibilities

Question: Why do we have hospital car parks?

• Access for patients

• Access for visitors

• Access for essential services

• Access for staff undertaking essential duties

• Conclusion: Prior to 2007, our car parks were not fulfilling these criteria

History

• Draft policy May 2004• Formal consultation ends November 2004• 200+ responses/submissions• Policy approved February 2005• Steering Group (inc. staff and patient stakeholders)

formed to flesh out operational procedures• Overarching staffside representation from NHSGGC

Partnership Forum with coverage from patient representatives, Trade Unions and professional bodies

Consultation Responses

• Agreement that the issue needs to be dealt with - 21

• Generally supportive/willing to pay albeit with certain conditions (i.e. guaranteed space/will be improved secure facilities/charges reasonable/”policed”) - 83

• Welcome reduction in cars on road - 4

• Opposed to proposals/charging - 68

• Ambiguous/unclear whether support or oppose - 39

Outcome: Patients and Visitors

• Investment available for better layouts, lighting, security, CCTV and 24-hour management

• More disabled bays in better locations• Free parking for disabled and regular patients• Concessions for regular visitors and low income

users• Local discretion for ‘smart management’• Most patients and visitors pay no more than £1.00 or

£1.50• Virtually no public complaints – messages of support

from disability organisations

Staff Parking: Key Stats

Site DesignatedStaff Spaces

GeneralAccess Spaces

DisabledSpaces

OtherSpaces

TotalParkingSpaces

Staff Count Ratio

Gartnavel General

218 327 57 602 1,242 1:2

Gartnavel Royal 365 772 1:2

Victoria Infirmary

142 95 54 14 305 1,825 1:6

Western infirmary

285 171 25 481 2,277 1:5

Yorkhill hospitals

254 229 34 517 2,810 1:5

Southern General

1,200 4,017 1:3

Stobhill 1,100 1,364 1:1

Inverclyde Royal 776 1,908 1:2

Royal Alexandra 1,050 2,885 1:3

Vale of Leven 370 1,068 1:3

Outcome: Staff

• Permit allocation• Priority given to staff who need cars to

perform duties• Free permits for those whose car use is

integral to duties• Paid-for permits for others with less

frequent use pegged to income level• Guaranteed permit for disabled staff

Why Not Loosen Staff Permit Criteria?

• Evidence and verification of family circumstances and transport difficulties

• Sheer numbers involved• Likely to increase numbers of vehicles

parked on site all day• Defeats primary purpose of policy: to

provide access for patients, visitors and those performing vital duties

Known Demand

‘Phase 1’ Sites – August 2007

Yorkhill Western Gartnavel Gen Victoria Total

Designated Spaces Phase 1

Designated Patient/

Visitor ParkingSpaces

229 171 327 95 822

Disabled Spaces 34 25 57 54 170

Total 263 196 384 149 992

Staff PermitApplicationsRejected/Unresolved

375 404 400 140 1,319

Alternatives to the Car

• Partnership with agencies developing public transport infrastructure

• Green Travel Plans for new/developing sites• Zonecard interest-free loans• Car Sharing Scheme• Bike loans• Salary Sacrifice Scheme • Use of parking income to develop alternatives• An issue for all employers not just NHS

NHSGGC Review

• Agreed in implementing policy to review after implementation

• Process to start late November• Widespread consultation

– Staff– public

• Open channel for ideas and issues • Small working group February 2008• Recommendations for change

Before

After