Harrogate Hospital has confirmed parking will remain free for staff, visitors and patients.
It was reported that the government planned to suspend free parking as the pandemic eases. But when The Stray Ferret approached Harrogate District Hospital it told us that free parking would remain in place.
The hospital said:
“Parking remains free for staff, visitors and patients. We already had in place the exemptions listed below for specific patient groups. We didn’t for staff on night shifts but then we put in place free parking for all staff (before the national directive came out) so that was a resolution.”
Amongst those patients who already received concessionary car parking is disabled visitors who held a blue badge, in receipt of specific benefits and those receiving cancer patients. This will continue alongside Harrogate Hospital’s extended scheme.
This news will be warmly welcomed by staff and visitors to the hospital.
Read more:
- Harrogate receives it strongest indication yet that the NHS Nightingale hospital is set to stay through the winter.
- Four months after recovering from covid, one women from Harrogate still feels “completely wiped out”.
A spokesperson from the Department for Health and Social Care said:
“We have been clear that during the pandemic free hospital parking will be available for NHS and care staff, and this remains the case. From January next year free parking will also become mandatory for disabled people, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of children staying overnight and staff working night shifts. Thousands of NHS patients, staff and visitors are eligible for free hospital car parking under these rules.”
