A PETITION set up by the Globe to stop Arrowe Park Hospital bosses from charging nurses and staff members £10 to park their cars has reached more than 8,500 signatures. 

Nurses who work at the hospital got in touch with the Globe after security guards had turned them away from on-site staff parking because they did not have a fob.

They also expressed safety concerns over parking in an off-site location during a night shift due to a spate of attacks in the area.

Nurses have had to park in patient and visitor areas due to the lack of spaces and a waiting list for parking permits.

A 300 space patient and visitor car park at the site is free for four hours but after that it has a £10 charge of which patients and visitors can claim back.

The hospital says that staff cannot park there and only in staff car parks – of which they need a parking permit.

Help us reach 10,000 signatures: www.change.org/p/wirral-arrowe-park-hospital-bosses-must-stop-charging-nurses-10-to-park

The Royal College of Nursing says that these charges will put extra pressure on their financial situation.

Estephanie Dunn, regional director for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in the North West told the Globe: “Nurses are struggling to survive on a pay rise well below the cost of living due to the government’s 1% pay cap on public sector pay.

“Having to pay high parking charges will put extra pressure on their already stretched financial situation due to their income being well below inflation.

“While we appreciate that parking is a challenge for all hospital trusts, they do have a duty of care for those staff who for a variety of reasons, whether it be shift work, living in a rural location or working in the community, are unable to rely on public transport for their commute and often have to arrive or leave work after dark.

“Our nursing workforce face several challenges on daily basis and a safe working environment shouldn’t be one of them.”

Wirral NHS Trust say that they cannot provide all staff members with a parking space.

They also say that they operate a parking permit scheme which depends on individual circumstances.

A Trust spokesman said: “Arrowe Park Hospital is one of a few acute hospital trusts in the country to offer a large number of dedicated free car parking spaces for its patients and visitors.

“As part of our strict covenant from Wirral Council, rules state that we must keep our free 300 space patient and visitor car park for the sole use of patients and visitors.

“We make it clear to staff that parking in this free car park should be avoid where possible, but should staff decide to park in this facility it may incur a cost upon exiting if their vehicle remains in the car park for more than four hours.

“Regrettably we are restricted in the available parking spaces we are able to offer patients and staff on our Arrowe Park site and work constantly to improve these frustrations where possible.

“This year alone we have increased our temporary car parking provision for staff following the demolition of old nursing accommodation.

“This included an additional 100 staff spaces last month alone.

“As Wirral’s biggest employer however, not all 5,500 staff are able to have a parking space and as such we operate a staff parking permit scheme.

“Parking permits are assessed and allocated to staff on an individual basis depending on their circumstances such as distance they live to the Trust and shift patterns.

“It is inevitable that our staff car parks will be at their most busiest during peak daytime hours.

"As such our permit scheme offers a number of other options such as off peak parking for evening and weekends to help accommodate shift patterns.

“We advise staff where possible to car share, or use public transport and to be aware that there are certain times of the day when the car parks will be less busy.

“We restrict staff from parking in our patient car parks solely for the reason that these spaces are for patients and visitors only.”