West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust (WSFT) raised its charges for patients and visitors at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds in June last year, and were increased again on April 1 this year due to “rising inflation and operational costs”.
Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal income from the fees has jumped from £798,862.66 in 2021/22 to £1,811,476.47 in the last financial year.
East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust received £1million from patient and visitor parking in 2024, up from £420,000 in 2021. So far this year it has received £920,000, as of July.
UNISON Eastern head of health Caroline Hennessy (Image: UNISON)
Parking prices at West Suffolk Hospital were raised earlier this year (Image: Newsquest) UNISON Eastern head of health Caroline Hennessy said: “Trusts should be looking at ways to support staff, patients and their families — not dipping into their pockets.”
Paid parking fees at West Suffolk Hospital clocked £159,943.36 in April, a dramatic rise on £54,150.90 it received in April 2021.
A spokesperson said when fees rose in April that prices “will increase in line with inflation on an annual basis.”
A stay of between one and two hours previously cost £4.40, but now costs £5.30 under new tariffs.
Ipswich Hospital, which runs by East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (Image: Lucy Taylor) Jonathan Rowell, interim chief finance officer for WSFT, said: “We understand this may impact on the budgets of our staff, patients and visitors and offer free parking and concessionary rates for patients and families in need, to support them when they are unwell.”
Staff at both West Suffolk Hospital and Ipswich Hospital were not charged for parking during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 2020, Ipswich Hospital received £500,000 from charges, before this climbed to a high of £1.2million in 2023.
Adrian Marr, deputy chief executive of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We provide healthcare to thousands of people every day and we must provide safe car parking facilities for our patients and visitors.
“The income generated from parking charges at our Trust enables us to continue to maintain our car parking and travel facilities, including security, lighting, and surfacing across our sites.
“While we aim to keep our parking charges as low as possible, we do have to increase charges occasionally to reflect rising costs.”