Dear Editor,

I write regarding Wye Valley Trust and its intention to impose car parking charges for those using the Community Hospital and Alton Street GP Surgery.

I am very concerned about the impact on patients, their families, and vulnerable people. How will the system be arranged/organised? Especially when one considers there has been no information available. I had to read the papers to find out what was going on and no doubt many people are still in ignorance of this proposal as there has been no consultations regarding this imposition on the residents of Ross-on-Wye.

Why is it needed, when the NHS should focus on providing NHS services and not tax ‘through the back door’ affecting patients and carers? The Government should be scrapping hospital parking charges, not introducing them and making the lives of the ill and elderly much more difficult.

We are very fortunate in Ross to have two excellent GP surgeries, and the Community Hospital, all with hardworking dedicated staff who also need to be supported and have free car parking to be able to fulfil all aspects of their roles. The cost of parking will be prohibitive and could result in staff shortages in key roles, further impacting on the residents of Ross.

One of the issues I think could result is, if people have paid to park for a certain time they will want value for their parking fee, and could foreseeably decide to walk into town and not leave immediately. Thus there will not be the flow of patients’ cars in and out of the car park as at present, and parking will become more difficult to find.

When patients are unwell the last thing that they, or their relatives need, is to be worried about car parking, so the message to WVT is please do not introduce any car parking charges in Ross Community Hospital, as it will be the patients, carers, families and friends who will ultimately suffer!

Gwyneth Gill

Ross-on-Wye