8 October 2020

Car parking charges for visitors and patients will be re-introduced at Shropshire’s acute hospitals from 1 November following the end of Government financial support for the income lost.

The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and the Princess Royal Hospital (PRH) in Telford are among the last in the region to reintroduce parking charges.

Parking charges were suspended at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, with the Department of Health and Social Care providing funding to NHS trusts to cover lost revenue.

This financial support has now come to an end and trusts across the country have been reintroducing charges over the last few weeks.

The money received from parking charges is pumped back into the Trust to directly improve patient care.

Since the start of the pandemic, the Trust is now carrying out many more appointments by telephone or video consultation, which means fewer patients are having to travel to our hospitals. This also means that those who do need to come to hospital for an appointment are seeing their waiting times reduced.

For contractual reasons, there will be a small rise of 50p across the car parking tariffs. This is the first rise in charges for three years.

Parking remains free for 20 minutes for patients who are being dropped off or picked up and visitors are encouraged to make use of this option. Parking also remains free for patients receiving renal dialysis, patients receiving outpatient treatment for cancer and anyone visiting the hospital for issues connected with bereavement.

Patients on long term treatment plans or visitors of patients expected to be in hospital for more than three days, can apply for concession tickets which cost £8 for 10 visits. Anyone making multiple visits to the same hospital during a 24-hour period can select “daily rate” and pay no more than £8 for that day.

Charges will be payable using credit card or telephone and can be paid online at home up to 12midnight on the day of the visit.  Cash payments are being withdrawn to reduce the risk of infection.

Payment for parking can be made by debit or credit card or online up to midnight on the day of the visit.

For further information, visit www.sath.nhs.uk/patients-visitors/getting-to-us/car-parking

Car parking charges from 1 November 2020 will be:

  • 20 minutes – 2 hours = £3.50
  • 2-3 hours = £4.50
  • 3-4 hours = £5.50
  • 4-5 hours = £6.50
  • 5-24 hours £8.50