An NHS doctor says he was given two £100 parking fines after finishing his shifts late. Describing the fines as "absolutely abhorrent", the GP registrar in London says he finished his night eight and nine minutes late on the two nights in question in May.
Malinga Ratwatte has tweeted a picture of his parking fine, issued by Parking Eye. UK Government guidance says that NHS health trusts should get free parking after 7.30pm and ending before 8am. Dr Ratwatte says he pays for out of hours parking but that finishes at 8.30am "the exact time that handover finishes". He said: "I left at 8.38am on day one and 8.39am on day two simply because I was walking from the meeting to the car park". The fines are £100 each, reduced to £60 if paid within 28 days.
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His Twitter thread continues: "How I am expected to teleport from a critical meeting about patient care to the car park is beyond me. It is absolutely abhorrent that even after Covid, NHS staff are being exploited and treated so poorly through predatory car parking fees and fines.
"This kind of behaviour is just one of the many reasons as to why NHS staff are feeling so disillusioned, combined with poor staffing, under resourcing and long term pay erosion. Forcing staff to cover unfilled rota gaps is causing burnout, stress and mental health problems.
"It's time for change in the NHS. The system is broken. I encourage all doctors to join @TheBMA and vote for candidates who are ready to bring about significant change through trade union action. Doctors need #FullPayRestoration and an end to poor working conditions."
Updated: A Parkingeye spokesperson said: “Parkingeye has partnered with Barnet Hospital for eight years to significantly improve how it’s car parks operate.
"During this time there has been investment in modern consumer-facing systems which has enhanced accessibility and made parking at the hospital easier and safer for staff, patients and visitors. The system is designed to ensure the efficiency and smooth operation of the hospital by ensuring that patients, visitors and staff park in their allocated car parks.
"The member of staff received two Parking Charge Notices due to the out-of-hours Staff Parking Permit not corresponding with his vehicle registration (VRM). We can confirm both charges are cancelled and his permit details have been updated with the correct registration number." To get more stories like this straight to your inbox subscribe to our newsletters here.
