Distraught hospital workers in tears as locals ‘hurl abuse’ at them for parking outside their houses
DISTRAUGHT hospital workers have been left in tears after local residents "hurled abuse" at them for daring to park outside their homes.
An unnamed hospital manager at Torbay Hospital in Devon said they were fed up with staff arriving for shifts in tears after being shouted and sworn at despite parking legally.
An appeal for more tolerance from people living around the hospital has appeared on social media.
Roads closest to the hospital, off Newton Road in Torquay, are controlled by residents’ parking zones and roadside meters.
But there are no restrictions in residential areas further away.
The car parks at the hospital are pay and display, although a limited number of discounted permits are prioritised for staff who are disabled or need their car for work.
However it's costly, as staff parking at the hospital on a 12-hour shift using the on-site public car parks would have to pay £15 for a 24-hour stay.
"FED UP WITH ABUSE"
The post on social media said: “I am a manager of clinical staff at Torbay Hospital.
"I am getting increasingly fed up with my staff coming in to work in tears because they have been verbally abused by people who live in the surrounding areas for parking perfectly legally.
“I understand how frustrating it is that the roads around the hospital get very busy and you might not be able to park right outside your house.
"However we at the hospital would also much rather not be parking miles away from the hospital either - we’re not doing this through choice, but through necessity.
“If you want a staffed hospital, those staff need to park somewhere.
“Nobody has the right to stand and swear and shout at someone for parking their car in a perfectly legal manner.”
It's disgraceful that staff don’t have parking for free at the hospitals.
Facebook comment
Comments on the Facebook post included several suggesting that staff should be allowed free parking.
One said: “It is disgraceful that the staff don’t have parking for free at the hospitals.
“It is also disgraceful for anyone to have a go at these wonderful members of staff who are there to care for the rest of us.”
A hospital spokesperson said the demand for on-site parking permits was greater than availability.
They added that allocating spaces for staff with a disability or needed their car for work was, “in line with our car parking policy which was drawn up in consultation with staff and trade unions.
“We are mindful of residents in the neighbouring roads where our staff park and we do remind staff to be respectful of residents’ needs.
“Where staff are parking unlawfully, the council’s Civil Enforcement Officers will, and do, issue parking tickets.”
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The spokesperson said the hospital would investigate reports of unlawful or inconsiderate parking by staff.
Staff were encouraged to use other forms of travel under the hospital's Green Travel Plan such as car-share, cycling, walking and public transport.
The on-site pay and display parking for patients and visitors costs a minimum £2.50 for two hours, rising according to £10.50 for eight hours, £15 for 24 hours and £25 for a weekly ticket.
