Login   |   Register   |   

Wigan Infirmary Car Park

Started by: peter g (3509) 

Be warned they only take card payments now for parking and after riding round for 20 mins to find a space I had to drive and park in a side street about half a mile away as i didn't have one on me. Disgraceful.

Started: 4th May 2022 at 12:32

Posted by: First Mate (2324)

Having not visited for some years I can only go off their website.

Car parking is available on a Pay and Display basis. The cost is:
Up to 30 minutes drop off Free
Up to two hours £2.70
Between two and four hours £5.00
Over four hours £6.50

Payment is cash only and we ask that visitors bring the correct change as the machines do not accept notes.

Link

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 13:52

Posted by: whups (13121) 

the sooner someone gets rid of this kind of rip-off the better.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 14:35

Posted by: peter g (3509) 

Not any more Whups it's card or nowt

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 14:54

Posted by: Tommy Two Stroke (15202)

Yes but I can't find anything about this on the interweb, I wonder if the machine was unable to accept cash, because it was full or broke, and it was displaying a message saying 'card only' but saying that I was trying to pay to park in Hallgate, using the 'Pay by Phone' app, on me phone, which is normally very good, but a couple of weeks ago, the app would not work, it was having a 'funny un' so I went to the machine on Hallgate, with some change I had on me, and the machine there said 'card only' it was not fitted out for taking cash.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 14:55

Posted by: whups (13121) 

it shud be abolished.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 15:13

Posted by: gaffer (7929) 

Income from parking charges at the Wigan, Wrightington and Leigh hospitals just about covers the car park costs of running and maintaining the carparks.
Certain categories of patients and visitors get free or subsidised parking.
If the charges were abolished the costs of the car parks would have to come from the clinical budget. This would be equivalent to 130 hip replacement procedures yearly.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 15:37

Posted by: whups (13121) 

it shud,nt be in the budget in the 1st place.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 15:44

Posted by: Tommy Two Stroke (15202)

I can't see them going cashless, without a lot of notice, and media scrootiny, and of course on their website.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 15:54

Posted by: peter g (3509) 

TTS Try it then if you don't believe me

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 16:08

Posted by: admin (1623)

Isn't hospital car parking free in Scotland and Wales?

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 16:22

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Gaffer,

Car Parking Costs at premises of the NHS should be borne by the Government as the charges are the same for everyone no matter how wealthy you are which is unfair when costs in the NHS are supposed to be the same for everyone.

There is enough trillions in the Treasury to pay for the parking without touching any medical budget of the NHS.

Even £2.70 means something to some, but not to all!

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 17:11

Posted by: tonker (27835) 

".... the charges are the same for everyone no matter how wealthy you are which is unfair when costs in the NHS are supposed to be the same for everyone."

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 18:08

Posted by: Stardelta (11829)

If hospital car parks were free to use more people would be using them, and for longer periods. Upshot..........there would be even less chance of finding a space.

People really should think these things through

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 18:52

Posted by: gaffer (7929) 

WWL. Car parking concessions.

There is a concession for long term patients/visitors of £2.50 for each and every 24 hr period providing the visitor acquires a concessionary pass from either the security department or the relevant ward and the pass is clearly displayed in the vehicle windscreen.

Car Parking Concession Criteria
Any oncology patient who attends the Trust for frequent regular treatment will receive free parking for the length of their treatment. This criterion was agreed by Macmillan Cancer Support.

Any patients attending clinics at the Trust for a minimum of one day a week for an extensive period will receive free parking.

Visitors of patients hospitalised for 2 weeks or more will be offered free parking for the duration of the patients stay.

The Government has recently introduced new guidance on the provision of free car parking for certain groups of hospital patients and visitors. This means that the following people are now eligible to receive free parking at our hospitals:

1. Disabled people holding a valid Blue Badge, to be displayed in windscreen of vehicle.
2. Frequent outpatient attendees, defined as those who are required to attend hospital for an appointment at least three times within a month for at least three months.
3. Parents or guardians of sick children staying overnight in the hospital.

Outpatients and parents/guardians outlined in points two and three need to request an exemption pass from the relevant ward manager or the security office and display this in their vehicle for the duration of their stay.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 18:53

Posted by: First Mate (2324)

Posted by: Stardelta (9603)

If hospital car parks were free to use more people would be using them, and for longer periods. Upshot..........there would be even less chance of finding a space.

People really should think these things through

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 18:52

Totally agree.

Also with gaffers post.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 19:43

Posted by: broady (inactive)

I thought that one of the major contributors to this thread advised us a while ago that he no longer had a car so presumably no parking fees.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 20:21

Posted by: tomplum (12354) 

No one has mentioned that, you are allowed half an hour free parking to drop off or pick up a person, If everyone used this in the right spirits, It can work out for many.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 21:46

Posted by: tonker (27835) 

"No one has mentioned that you are allowed half an hour free parking to drop off or pick up a person"

No, not since First Mate mentioned it earlier.

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 22:06

Posted by: tomplum (12354) 

I have her on ignore Tonks so i could not see it,

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 22:13

Posted by: tonker (27835) 

That explains it, then. I am the all-seeing eye. I miss nowt!

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 22:22

Posted by: tomplum (12354) 

you're right,

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 22:29
Last edited by tomplum: 4th May 2022 at 22:42:27

Posted by: whups (13121) 

so do you believe that they shud profit on people,s suffering ? .

Replied: 4th May 2022 at 23:57

Posted by: PeterP (11223)

It is a tax on the sick and dying The last time my wife was in hospital it cost over £60 in parking fees Gaffer stated that if the duration of the patient is for over 2 weeks then you can have free parking(that's if you know the duration of the stay) My wife was in hospital for 11 days but we did not know the duration of her stay So I had to pay for parking.

Replied: 5th May 2022 at 04:39

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

First Mate.

If people have to pay for parking at Wigan NHS premises it should be like it is at NHS premises in many other towns and cities where you only pay on leaving a car park for the length of time that you have spent at the NHS site.

On entry, you get a timed ticket from a machine and on leaving only pay for the actual time you are on a site less any free period.
'
The system at Wigan NHS premises is a cash cow as people could be paying more for parking than they need to pay, especially as you never know how long you will be there.
'



Replied: 5th May 2022 at 07:51

Posted by: PeterP (11223)

At Salford Royal (HOPE) Hospital you approach a barrier in your vehicle and push a button and the m/c issues a yellow disc and the barrier lifts to allow entry onto the car park. On leaving the hospital there are pay stations where you insert the yellow disc and pay for the time recorded by the disc and then retrieve the disc. You then approach the barrier with your vehicle and insert the disc into the m/c and if you have paid the correct amount the barrier will lift and you can then leave the car park. This system will only allow a set number of vehicles on to the car park so that there is room to park

Replied: 5th May 2022 at 08:12

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Peter P

Exactly, but when I suggested the same in a letter to the Chief Executive of the Wigan NHS around ten years ago, he made all kind of excuses of why it or a similar system could not implemented.

Hardly surprising when they are getting more from people than they need to pay!

Replied: 5th May 2022 at 08:44

Posted by: PeterP (11223)

Pay the bare minimum and then if you overstay due to appointments running late you have an excuse. Once had an appointment for 10-00am got seen to at 2-00pm Paid at 9-50 am for 2 hours time I got into my car it must have been at least3-00pm

Replied: 5th May 2022 at 10:05
Last edited by PeterP: 5th May 2022 at 12:53:30

Posted by: whups (13121) 

i must admit that the torys have worked this into the NHS budget & deducting their profits from the gains the hospitals make , very cute . so they must charge to get any monies up upkeep the hospital. i,m still the same that these charges shud go & as for parking spaces it,s always been the same wether they charge or not .

Replied: 5th May 2022 at 11:41

Posted by: GOLDEN BEAR (6555) 

GAFFER/Can you please explain to me the alleged running cost's and what are the imaginary maintaining cost's , after all for the TEN-TWELVE weeks i had the bad luck to be in there the car parking area's have been there since adam was a lad . OR is it not the case of the trust's stealing money from hard up folk .GB

Replied: 5th May 2022 at 14:40

Posted by: gaffer (7929) 

GB
The car parking charges pay the wages of the car park security people and the upkeep of the car parks.
The fundamental problem is that too many people think that everything is free in the health service. There’s no other nation on earth whose population have that mindset.
Some time ago, after a bout of food poisoning, I was sent to hospital by the manager of a French hotel. I had to pay the equivalent of an £80 ambulance charge in the back of the ambulance before going into the hospital.All French citizens have to do likewise unless on benefits, or have medical insurance.
However, the treatment I received was first class. Straight into A and E and seen by a doctor almost immediately.A quick check up supplied with medication and then off back to the hotel.
There’s an interesting piece in the Telegraph today which touches on the NHS, I’ll post it later.

Replied: 5th May 2022 at 16:11

Posted by: Owd Codger (3013)

Gaffer

The way the NHS is not coping to deal with the medical problems of the ever increasing population due to immigration and people living longer, how long will it be before we have a two tier system like they have in other countries?

A free NHS for those on benefits up to a certain level of treatment and those who work, membership of a private health insurance scheme which some employee's are in already.

From what I have been told by someone high up in the NHS, it will happen as demand in the NHS is not meeting supply and the NHS not meeting its budgets.

Three weeks ago, I spent nearly six hours in the A & E of Wigan Infirmary before I was seen by a Doctor, whereas a few years ago, I would have been only waiting no more than a hour.

As for getting an appointment to see a GP!

Replied: 6th May 2022 at 07:26

Posted by: PeterP (11223)

Every time we have really needed our doctor we have had face to face appointments with a doctor Now hospital appointments a different kettle of fish Yvonne has to see an anesthetist at Whiston on their list but no date for appointment. Myself waiting since last year to see/phone call from a consultant from Urology, Phoned them told consultant on long term sick and his underlings are treating cancer patients may get an appointment late June.

Replied: 6th May 2022 at 09:05

Posted by: peter g (3509) 

I don't mind paying but having to pay card only is my only gripe

Replied: 6th May 2022 at 11:59

 

Note: You must login to use this feature.

If you haven't registered, why not join now?. Registration is free.