BARNSLEY Hospital has defended its decision to charge disabled patients and visitors to use its car parks.
New figures from NHS Digital revealed Barnsley was one of 11 hospitals in Yorkshire and 139 in England to charge blue badge holders to park.
Justin Madders MP, Labour's shadow health minister, said it was a disgrace that health minister Jeremy Hunt had done nothing to tackle parking charges for disabled people, despite acknowledging that they are unfair.
He added: "Disabled people often have no choice but to drive to hospital, and it's wrong to target them with parking fees.
"The truth is hospitals are being forced to introduce or increase parking charges because they are desperately short of cash. This government has caused a financial crisis in the NHS, and disabled people are paying the price."
But a spokesman for Barnsley Hospital said it was not policy to give free parking solely on the basis of being a blue badge holder, but free parking may be offered if a patient also has a particular condition, or are on low income or receiving qualifying benefits.
"We regret that we have to charge for parking at all, but the cost of the security measures and the maintenance of the car parks means that we do have to make a modest charge so that money is not diverted away from patient care," the spokesman said.
"Concessions are in place for payment of car parking at a reduced charge for those patients and their primary visitors who have to use NHS car parks on a frequent basis to attend hospital."
Full story in today's paper.
