Confusion over changes to car parking at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital left one NHS worker facing a battery of seven parking fines - adding to the stress of a cost-of-living crisis.
But after ChronicleLive raised the issue, Parkingeye - the firm which manages parking for the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust - confirmed it would, as a gesture of good will, quash six of the seven fines. Kathryn Wilson works at the hospital trust as part of the domestic team. Her job has involved playing a key role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, as she is among the staff to carry out the vital rapid cleaning needed to keep infection under control. She said elements of this had been "horrendous".
In November last year, with building work beginning at the Freeman, parking rules were changed and some staff saw the number of areas they were allowed to park in reduced. The trust sent out information via email and put up signs in the car park and in staff areas, but Kathryn said due to the busy nature of her job she - and a number of others - had not been aware of the changes.
