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Government to scrap free parking for NHS staff this week, Sajid Javid announces
The policy was originally announced in March 2020 after more than 400,000 people signed a petition calling for free NHS parking
Free parking for NHS staff that was introduced during the Covid pandemic will come to an end this Friday, Sajid Javid has announced.
The Health Secretary confirmed in a written statement last night that as of April 1st, all NHS staff will have to pay for their parking again.
However, he added that many NHS trusts have chosen to implement free parking for those in ‘greatest need’, front-line workers working nights included.
His statement read: “Free parking in hospital car parks for NHS staff introduced during the pandemic will also come to an end on March 31st.
Parliament TV
“However, over 93% of NHS trusts that charge for car parking have implemented free parking for those in greatest need, including NHS staff working overnight.
“On behalf of the Government, I would like to record my thanks to everyone who has worked tirelessly to keep people safe over the last two years and whose efforts have enabled us to move to the next stage of the Covid-19 response.”
The decision has been slammed as a ‘sick joke’ by Rachel Harrison, national officer for the GMB Union, who said: “Charging the NHS staff who’ve risked their lives during the pandemic to park at work is a sick joke.
“After the years of Tory cuts NHS trusts are struggling, we know. But scrabbling the money back off hard up workers is not the answer.
“The Government must now legislate for free hospital staff parking once and for all.”
Andy Parrett / Wikimedia Commons
The policy was originally announced in March 2020 after more than 400,000 people signed a petition calling for free parking for NHS workers.
The then Health Secretary Matt Hancock said at the time: “Our NHS is facing an unprecedented challenge, and I will do everything I can to ensure our dedicated staff have whatever they need during this unprecedented time.
“So we will provide free car parking for our NHS staff who are going above and beyond every day in hospitals across England.
“We will do what is needed to protect the NHS, support our health and care staff, and save lives as we tackle Covid-19.”