Agenda item

This report updates the committee on the Medway NHS Foundation Trust’s response to the Council’s concerns relating to its changes to parking fee concessions for Blue Badge holders. 

Discussion:

The Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust, accompanied by the Director of Governance and Risk of the Trust, introduced the item by explaining that the Trust had decided that its approach to car parking had not been as equitable as it could have been.  The aim of the review had been to bring about a fairer system where the needs of the most vulnerable and those on low incomes were still protected but that those who were able to pay did so, including blue badge holders.  The concessions for people in this category had been increased as part of this review and more publicity was being given to the fact that concessions were available, on the Trust’s website and also by the production of information leaflets.  A copy of the sample leaflet was handed round to the Committee.  It was made clear that the Trust were willing to consider additional concessions and had already included further groups of people to the original list. 

The Chief Executive of the Foundation Trust stated that while there had not been any public consultation the proposals had been discussed by the Board of Governors at the Foundation Trust where there had been a mixed response to the plans.

Members of the Committee then put forward their strong objections not only to the decision to charge blue badge holders parking at the hospital but that no thought had been given to consulting either with the public or the Overview and Scrutiny Committee prior to the implementation of the new charges.  The view was put forward that the decision had brought about a backlash of public objections, which had been directed at Councillors.  In view of this, Members requested that in future the Trust should consider letting Members know in advance of similar changes to policy regardless of whether the Trust had a duty to consult.  The Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust acknowledged that lessons had been learned from the introduction of the charging but emphasised that the Trust had not considered consulting the Council on the grounds that the decision did not affect clinical outcomes.

A number of small amendments to the leaflet were suggested at the meeting and the Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust invited further comments, acknowledging that if there were to be a merger with Dartford and Gravesham Trust there would need to be a harmonisation of policy.  He also acknowledged that Trusts across the county had taken very different approaches to car parking charges.  Responding to a question the Director of Governance and Risk stated that the introduction of charges for blue badge holders had not increased the cost of administration as existing staff dealt with the concessions.  There was also an acknowledgement by Medway NHS Foundation Trust that the car park at Medway Maritime hospital did need investment and improvements for which additional revenue expenditure was necessary.  Reports of staff using parking spaces reserved for the disabled were being dealt with rigorously by the Trust.

The view was then put forward that Medway Council had taken the decision not to charge blue badge holders for car parking and that this should be adopted by the Trust as the `Medway position’.  The Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust stated that there had been no agreed Medway-wide position on this and that the Trust had taken its own decision on the matter. 

Reference was made to the fact that this was the 40^th anniversary of blue badges and the view was put forward that this was one of the first measures for disabled people to achieve equity.  The decision of the hospital trust to start charging disabled people was felt to be ill-thought through and did not bring about the equity the Trust were aiming for.

Questions were asked as to the amount of revenue income, which would be generated by the introduction of the charges.  An anticipated figure of between £100,000-£150,000 was put forward.  It was stated that this would be dependent on the amount of additional take up of concessions from those people who were now eligible for concessions.  An alternative suggestion was made at the meeting that there could have been a slight rise to the car parking fee charges for non blue-badge holders, which would have brought in similar revenue.

In response to a question, the Chief Executive of Medway NHS Foundation Trust stated that if it were found that the decision to charge blue badge holders was proven to inhibit disabled people accessing hospital services then it would be changed.

The Labour Group put forward the following proposal, which, upon being put to the vote, was lost:

`That the Cabinet, having been given the full list of answers and alternative proposals made at this meeting, and in the light of ideas coming forward from scrutiny should rescind its own administration charges for blue badge renewals and communicate formally with Medway NHS Foundation Trust to ask them to reconsider removing their charge for car parking for blue badge holders’

(A request was made for this proposal to be formally minuted).

A counter proposal was then made and recommended to Cabinet as set out below.

Decision: 

Members recommended the Cabinet to take into account the alternative suggestion put forward by the Committee which was that there could have been a slight rise to the car parking fee charges for non blue-badge holders, which would have brought in similar revenue, along with the views of scrutiny on this matter, and Medway NHS Foundation Trust should be urged to rescind its decision to charge blue badge holders for car parking and come back to the Committee with alternative proposals.