Following complaints being raised about hospital parking, Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy, has called on the Welsh Government to introduce sections of patient only parking in hospital car parks.

Janet said:

“Getting an appointment at a hospital in Wales, especially in Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, is difficult enough. After that problem is overcome, patient experience is then made far worse by the stress of trying to park at the hospital.

“Constituents are complaining about Ysbyty Gwynedd, Llandudno, Glan Clwyd, and Wrexham, with many having to circumnavigate car parks numerous times to try to find a place to park.

“Yes, more could be using buses, and I have recently been discussing improving services for Llandudno Hospital with Conwy County Borough Council and Arriva. However, the reality is that using a car to attend an appointment is the only option for many.

“Whilst it would be almost impossible to manage car parks so that they are fit for every visiting time, steps can and should be taken to help patients. Indeed, why should people with an appointment have the added stress of trying to find a place to park?

“Vaughan Gething AM, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, has tried to swerve around responsibility for hospital parking. However, the Welsh Government is actually in the driving seat. It is responsible for the guidance issued to NHS Wales!

“Driving this matter forward, I have asked the Cabinet Secretary for the next set of guidance to include as a key theme the need for sections of patients only parking at hospitals. Not only would this be quite easy to implement, but very helpful to patients”.

ENDS

Written Assembly Question by Janet Finch-Saunders:

Will the Cabinet Secretary state whether the Welsh Government monitors the use of the carparks at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Glan Clwyd Hospital, and Ysbyty Gwynedd, and explain what measures can be taken to improve capacity and ensure that people with appointments can always find a place to park?

Response by Vaughan Gething:

The operation and management of car parking at hospital sites across NHS Wales is the responsibility of the individual health boards not Welsh Government. Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is responsible for the operation of their three main hospital sites.

On 5 April, guidance was issued to NHS Wales ‘Welsh Health Circular WHC(2018)010: Car parking management – guidance for NHS Wales’. This set out examples of best practice for NHS Wales, noting that each hospital site has different requirements in terms of parking.    

Response by Janet Finch-Saunders: 

Further to WAQ76381 will the Cabinet Secretary state whether the Welsh Government would be prepared to consider including as key theme in the next Welsh Health Circular the need for sections of patient only parking at hospitals? 

Documents

Welsh Health Circular WHC(2018)010: Car parking management – guidance for NHS Wales’