Nurses Face Sack Over Parking Fines, Get-tough policy from health board Options

[mlconnelly]

I agree with what everyone here is saying, its wrong to be charging nurses parking fees never mind threatening their jobs.
Stratson, I don't know about any other hospital but 1 of the reasons they introduced parking fees at Gartnavel was because commuters were leaving their cars there and then using public transport into the city centre to avoid paying for parking, forcing staff and patients to park in the surrounding streets, which in turn caused problems for the people who live there. Although the fees have now been scrapped at Gartnavel, the parking is still a major problem. They seem to forget that the more they extend the hospital, they will have more patients, more staff and more visitors all trying to find somewhere to park in an ever decreasing carpark. There is a carpark for staff and doctors but most of the spaces need permits and most of them are allocated to doctors, especially doctors who work between 2 hospitals, as far as I'm aware.
Is it only nursing staff who are being threatened or is it all hospital staff including doctors?
Mary

[Albanach]

Hospitals are unlike most public buildings in that they exist for people who are frequently at their most vulnerable, the patients and friends and families who visit them. They are staffed by people who devote their lives to tending for the vulnerable. None of these people should be held to ransom by accountants who see them as a source of profit. I don't doubt that hospital car parks cost millions of pounds, but that is a worthwhile expense. It removes one level of worry from people who already have enough to worry about, it reduces the problems that their carers face, be they consultants, nurses, porters. It is an expense that should be seen as part of holistic treatment given by the hospital of which patients and staff are each components. Insofar as abuses are concerned, it should not be beyond the wit of administrators to devise appropriate systems to eliminate or, at least reduce them to manageable level.

[*Anon*]

Nurses who work shifts can get to and from work using public transport, so quite why they must take their cars to work in a situation where they can't afford the parking costs is beyond me. Most people aren't lucky enough to get a parking space at work. What's the issue really? Their shifts are no worse than your average call-centre staff's' and they get paid on average... double the money. They might have hard jobs, but they are a lot better off than many private sector workers I know. Another thing, My mother has macular degeneration which means her eye sight is failing her. When her clinic was at Gartnavel, it was ridiculous that I had to park in Kelvindale and walk her, rain hail or snow to the hospital because the carpark was constantly jammed with people who work there it seems! That's the scandal.

[Jazzsaxman]

It worries me to think of the little government termites who sit in their offices making up rules and eating away at the liberties and freedom of this once great country. It is these termites and not the government who rule the country. They are brainwashed into believing they are doing it for the good of everyone. Of course there are the ones who use their positions to make life difficult for others and get sad and perverse kick out of it and unfortunately these type are on the increase. Go out for a walk and see how many people smile or say hello or even say thank you if you hold the door for them. This is all about money and nothing else. I have never heard of anything so pathetic. Sacking nurses because they have to park in non allotted places, which lowlife thought of that one. This is supposed to be a democratic country. Those countries who tried to find a solution for the people problem ended up with concentration and hard labour camps. Nothing will change as long as we have the termites....

[droschke7]

Disgusting, how can this be right?

[Jupiter]

Anon, In case you werent aware First Bus are in the process of pulling services in many areas including parts of East Dunbartonshire and I know of two people at least who are having great difficulty a) getting into town for a 7am start and b) getting home at night after a late shift.

[Brigitte]

Never read so much rubbish. Who will look after the sick if nurses are sacked.
By the way, nurses are more than welcome here in Melbourne, Australia. There is a big shortage of nurses because of recent big migration and pay is good as well.

[Jupiter]

Morning Brigitte and welcome to the boards.What is the rubbish you are referring to?
Got to ask,were you named after a famous Glasgow street ?Joop.

[GG]

Another aspect to this to consider is the fact that nurses and doctors who are handling money to pay into parking meters during their shifts will be coming into contact with far more germs than if they did not need to handle money for parking meters. That's a fact. Therefore, by having this policy, health boards are putting patient care at risk by promoting the opportunity for the spread of infections throughout hospitals. This in itself makes the policy absurd, not to metion dangerous.

Regarding public transport, often this will not be a viable option for many nurses who have early and out-of-hours shift patterns. And as Jupiter says, the bus service provided by First Glasgow over recent years has been one of rapidly diminishing provision, in terms of both routes and frequency.

GG.

[bilbo.s]

Got to ask,were you named after a famous Glasgow street ?Joop.

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ?????????

[*Uptheartskool*]

I work in the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital and on the occasions where I take my car to work it is a complete hassle having to leave a busy post natal ward every 4 hours to pop £2 in the meter what's the point in this. Why can't you pay for a full day. Having said that the prices are too expensive and it's not always possible to leave an already understaffed ward to go for sometimes a 5-10 min walk to your car to top up the meter. It's not possible to get a space right outside the building unless you arrive 1 hour before your shift starts. For these reasons I tend not to bring my car but luckily I am able to do so. This is not the case for everyone and I think these parking charges should be scrapped or lowered to a discounted FULL DAY rate for staff.

[TeeHeeHee]

Nurses who work shifts can get to and from work using public transport ... it was ridiculous that I had to park in Kelvindale and walk ... to the hospital because the carpark was constantly jammed with people who work there.

Couldn't you get the bus?

[tombro]

I've looked at the original story, I've read the comments, I've looked at the date and I'm still stunned !

I'm sure April 1st isn't until Sunday !

Tombro

[*Exenon*]

A statement by "anon' about nurses getting the bus to work was quite clearly written by one having no possible conception of the shifts required by nurses to carry out their duties. Does "anon" see nurses and other medical professionals working 9 to 5 ? I think not. Does "anon" require nurses to walk home after midnight or wait for public transport that would not be forthcoming after midnight anywhere? A reality check is very much in evidence pertaining to this individuals cavalier attitude.

If these nurses are sacked Canada and Australia will welcome them with open arms and much better prospects.

[wee davy]

There's as much likelihood as a nurse getting the sack for a parking 'offence', as you or I being selected for the Mars mission, tombro!

The truth is, there never will be sufficient parking, for everybody - the real problem is infrastructure not being adequately provided. For example, what would be wrong with a a little shuttle bus scheme (similar to airports) where external/satellite parking could be provided for a small fee, to non staff, whilst nurses and doctors are allocated priority at each hospital???

I'm no Einstein, but I'm sure like someone else said, it is well within admin capabilities, to sort this out, once and for all.