Hospital Discrimination.

[Margaret Pilkington]

Originally Posted by Bonnyboy

There are instances of poor roads everywhere, the amount of cash that the NHS gets should be, by far, enough to buy whichever medication is required, source whichever treatment is needed, supply the staff and run hospitals in a safe manner, car parks included. The NHS is blighted with mismanagement by people with no medical background. Other organisations have similar problems but seem to be able to weed this kind of thing out of the system. A for instance of what I mean might be why should a directorate manager ( with no medical background )working in Blackpool, just as an e.g. making decisions upon availability of beds, whilst at home here in Accy or deciding which wards should close or how many nurses have to be axed to meet targets.

While I agree with some of your observations, it is clear to me that you have no concept of the vast amounts of money which are required to treat patients with life shortening illnesses(cancer).....if you look at the cost of drugs to treat things like Breast Cancer (herceptin) and Ovarian cancer(Paclitaxel/Taxol being just one of those drugs) and the cost of infertility treatments, and those were the things that were just in my field of expertise.....then you would know that whatever the government gives the NHS will always be eaten up by the needs of the people being treated.

Of course, like all organisations there will be what some people perceive as 'mismanagement'......perceptions which may or may not be correct.
In my opinion(and it is only my opinion)the greatest mismanagement is to run wards with low levels of staff, who are not allowed to do the job they want to do, purely because there isn't enough staff.
Do the powers that be listen to their staff? Well, what do you think?
I am glad to say that I left the NHS after 29 wonderful years.......you could see what was coming........I miss the patients, but I do not miss the petty bureaucracy, the chasing of government set targets, and the government meddling. The last two items are where a lot of money (your money) is wasted.....because the government change their mind about what they want.

I'm sorry for such a rambling (perhaps, off thread) post.

[forceten]

Heres the gen on the parking

For the duration of the time a patient is in hospital for ever 3 consecutive days paid for a pass will be issued that will cover the next 4 visits. The visitor must take 3 consecutive days receipts which total £9.90 (taking that you visit twice a day at £1.80 per time) to the parking office in the main entrance and they will issue a pass that will allow you on the car park for the next 4 occasions.

[katex]

Originally Posted by garinda

The alternative would be for the disabled to get paid more in offical benefits, and have to pay for parking like everyone else. This would in the long run cost the tax payer much more money.

Blue badge holders also get free car tax, and don't get fined if they park on single and double yellow lines for up to three hours, as long as they aren't causing an obstruction. A poor non-disabled driver would of course be fined for doing this.

Always willing to do a U-turn on my opinion, after consulting my 'Planner'seems to be persuading me of my error. Sorry, Thomas, but fully understand your initial reaction. Comments as below:-

"Disabled people are less physically mobile than able bodied people. It
is therefore right that they are allowed access to a parking bay close
to their end destination. This means having the disabled only spaces
near to the entrances and exits of buildings - of which a hospital is
certainly an essential service.

Disabled people, by the very definition of 'disabled', are more likely
to suffer from a limiting and chronic illness. This, in turn, limits
their ability to work with many disabled people being reliant on
benefits. Charging them for car parking, while accessing an essential
health service, would only seek to unfairly exclude them from accessing
healthcare that they need. This would place their health at greater
risk - which is contrary to the principles of the NHS - healthcare for
all. This extends to accessing the services, not just having the
services on offer.

Car parking charges were introduced at hospitals for two main reasons:
to reduce the large volumes of workers and users visiting the hospital
by car and encourage travel by public transport and to raise revenue for
what essentially is the biggest tax burden (with the exception of the
armed forces) the government currently deals with. Everybody wants free
healthcare - nobody wants higher taxes. Reducing travel by car is a
core government policy.

As for congestion charging, is it right that disabled people are exempt
from a charge, given that the overall aim is to reduce the number of car
trips? What difference does being disabled make? You are still on the
road and contributing to pollution and congestion. However, there is a
social equity argument to consider here. Certain groups of people
require access to essential services and are more likely to use the car
to access those services. For instance, disabled people have a more
legitimate reason to use a car than an able bodied person. Charging
them to travel by car would only seek to exclude them further from
society (they are already excluded from many activities/places just
because they cannot negotiate the locales). In a just society we should
make provision for ensuring everyone benefits from the privileges we
enjoy - and privileges we as able bodied people often take for granted -
have you ever tried to climb stairs in a wheelchair?!


Whilst I agree there is some abuse of the blue badge system, it is
unfair to penalise genuine long term disability sufferers because of the
abuse of inconsiderate individuals. They are abusing the system
intentionally and are therefore the culpable people committing an
illegal act. This is not enough to condemn the whole system.

I suppose it depends whether you agree that disabled people have more of
a right to use a car than able bodied people - some people won't agree
with that. It won't change the government's view on it though - that we
should make provision for including all groups in society - despite
disability, poverty, sickness, ethnic background etc.

After all, ensuring everyone is cared for is what separates us from the
animals capable of free thought and compassion. "

Put like this, don't feel I can disagree anymore.

[Sue1]

Parking in hospital car parks is difficult at the best of times and that includes for staff - some hospitals do not have staff car parks which could be a deciding factor as to whether you are going to take a job there or not.
I suppose you could say I retired over hospital car parking. It was decided where I worked (which was out in the sticks) that, for the staff, they would pay a set sum per month, can't remember what it was - this would be paid whether you were on sick leave, annual leave, or whatever. You would have no choice because it would be deducted at source. (This was thought to be illegal) One consultant resigned - hospitals often have visiting doctors - if they can't park, the patient can't be seen. I decided to go because I'd had enough anyway and went to work at the nearest hospital which I could walk to.
Patients have no choice of course. But sometimes I think the patient is pretty low in the pecking order and hospitals tend to forget their very existence is for the benefit of their patients. What happens if you are kept waiting for your appt - you will run out of time on your parking ticket and heaven forbid you should be admitted direct from an out-patient appointment. It is possible to reclaim the fine but if you are disabled, having got back to your car, realised you have got a fine which is no fault of yours, your misery is added to by having to go back into the hospital and fill in a claim form! All in all I do agree with free parking and designated parking for the disabled.

[jackyalex]

Maybe the parking fee's should be put to good use as in put all the money into that hospital and have a sign on display saying how much was raised and what the money went towards, and how it benefited the hospital, i think if you can see where the money is being spent then it should make you proud of being a part of making a difference, i dont think you should be charged for parking if you have an appointment, i dont think you should pay for parking if you attend a&e either, my sis lost her baby a few years back we had no money for parking and the nurse write out a note for us to stick on the car to explain why we had no ticket, i dont use blackburn hospital the last time i did i was in labour 1999 when we got to the hosp there was no parking we had to park on the road leading to highercroft, wrong time to go into labour visiting hrs, i know its all changed now but i dont know what the parking is like now

[garinda]

Lets not also forget that some disabled people would be eligible for transportation by ambulace for their hospital appointments. Which would cost a hell of a lot more than if they made there own way there.

[CusCus]

Originally Posted by thomas.lee

Disabled people aren't necessarily wheelchair bound! You've clearly a lot to learn on the subject.

As was clear from the second half of the post, which you either didn't bother to read ....or maybe you need to learn to read.

[thomas.lee]

Maybe I do. =/

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

Thankyou Lettie.......I knew that she was leaving, but felt sure she hadn't gone yet.

My apologies, Margaret.

I thought that she had already gone.

[Margaret Pilkington]

No apology needed Lilly

[jambutty]

Instead of asking about why disabled people do not pay for parking you should be asking why ANYONE has to pay to park near a hospital whilst visiting it.

After all there are two types of people going to hospital. The sick for treatment or consultations and people visiting the sick in hospital. Neither wants to be there but they are forced to attend out of circumstances.

[Bonnyboy]

Originally Posted by jambutty

Instead of asking about why disabled people do not pay for parking you should be asking why ANYONE has to pay to park near a hospital whilst visiting it.

After all there are two types of people going to hospital. The sick for treatment or consultations and people visiting the sick in hospital. Neither wants to be there but they are forced to attend out of circumstances.

Have to agree, I said something similar in post #13 of this thread.