Worthing Hospital parking anger

The Arun Co-ordinated Community Transport group drives disabled and elderly patients to Worthing Hospital every day.

The group had four dedicated parking spaces, but building work means those spaces are now unavailable.

The only remaining option is a car park, where they must pay, and now the group is concerned it will have to pass on the extra charges to the patients who depend on their service.

“We were informed there will be no places for volunteers and, if we go into the car park, we’re going to have to pay,” said volunteer driver Shirley Western, 74.

“People don’t seem to have any sympathy whatsoever with the elderly or the disabled.

“We do it off our own back and the cost will be too much.

“I was told personally by the car park manager that I would have to pay.”

Shirley was eventually told she could park in the car park free of charge for a maximum of 20 minutes.

“But I can’t just drop them off in 20 minutes; I need to collect them afterwards, too,” she added.

“If someone’s got an appointment or needs to go to the pharmacy, that’s when we need our spaces, because we don’t know how long they will be.”

The group receives about 4,000 calls a month to take people to hospital.

Paul Hatcher, director of estates and facilities at Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “The trust is hugely appreciative of the support provided by all our volunteers and the valuable service they give to our patients.

“We are currently building a new accident and emergency department at Worthing Hospital specifically for the treatment of children, and the building work involved requires the temporary closure of the car parking spaces normally used by our volunteer drivers and patient transport ambulances.”

Mr Hatcher said alternative spaces were being provided, but some “flexibility” was needed during the building works.

“We will be in touch with them again to fully explain our plans and assure them it is not our intention to penalise them for the service they provide.”

Hospital managers are meeting volunteer groups affected by the changes in parking.