AN NHS boss has defended ‘outrageous’ car parking charges at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, despite people’s ‘mounting anger and frustration’.

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust (FT), which runs both Musgrove and Yeovil Hospital, uses private companies to run its multi-storey car parks.

Union representative Ray Tostevin attacked the level of charges and a lack of transparency by the trust, calling for fees to be reduced and eventually abolished.

But NHS Somerset integrated care board chief executive Jonathan Higman said private companies running car parks ensured more funding could be directed to front-line treatment for patients.

Mr Tostevin spoke as construction began on a second multi-storey car park for Musgrove as part of a wider programme of improvements.

He said: “Musgrove has a multi-storey car park run by Q-Park, a private company.

“A freedom of information request by the Royal College of Nursing for details of the contract between the trust and Q-Park has yielded only limited information due to commercial confidentially.

“Some staff are being offered concessionary permits, but others, including patient carers and other visitors, still find themselves saddled with paying exorbitant parking charges simply to come to work or visit sick relatives.

“I know I speak for many when I say hospital car parking charges are absolutely outrageous.

“It is iniquitous.”

One Wellington man spoke of his anger at a £15.50 parking charge after rushing his daughter to Musgrove’s accident and emergency department shortly after 10 pm.

The parent, who did not want to be named, said: “We had about a four-hour wait before my daughter was seen and treated and by the time we got back to the car it was early morning and I had to pay a 24-hour charge to leave.

“It is a sick tax that Musgrove has been getting away with for years.

“How is it Scotland and Wales can have free hospital parking but we cannot have it in England, I wonder.

“If the chief executive was paying £15.50 a day for his parking then perhaps he would better understand what low-income families like mine feel about it.”

Mr Higman said there was a balance to be struck between parking, cost, and subsidies using money which would otherwise go to patient care.

He said parking pressure was also an issue at the trust’s community hospitals across Somerset, urgent treatment centres, and mental health services.

Mr Higman said: “We as a board have not specifically discussed car parking charges, but it is fair to say we understand the cost of living pressures people are under.

“Parking is free at both acute hospital sites for certain groups, and there are clear concessions.

“For instance, for outpatients who attend nine times within 90 days, parents staying overnight with sick children, parents or guardians of children under the age of 18 who are admitted overnight.

“Staff, patients, and visitors with blue badges also get concessions, as do staff who work nights.

“If we put more resources directly into car parking, we would have less money to provide for patient care and access.”