Almost all NHS staff will lose their right to free parking at hospitals; Staff parking has been free for NHS employees in England since March, but they will have to start paying again soon.

Byline: By, Press Association & Simon Meechan

Almost all NHS Staff will lose their right to free car parking once the coronavirus pandemic has eased, the Government has said.

Hospital parking has been free for NHS staff since March 25, when the Government announced it would cover the cost for health service employees, who health secretary Matt Hancock said were "going above and beyond every day" at hospitals in England.

But the Department of Health has said free parking will only continue for "key patient groups and NHS staff in certain circumstances" as the coronavirus crisis eases, although it has not said when charges will resume.

The British Medical Association BMA has said to reintroduce charges while the virus is still being fought would be "a rebuff to the immense efforts of staff across the country and the sacrifices they have made to keep others safe".

Last week, health minister Edward Argar said the support to make free parking available "cannot continue indefinitely" and added that the Government was looking at how long it would "need" to go on.

Responding on Friday to a written question from Labour's Rachael Maskell, he said: "The provision of free parking for National Health Service staff by NHS Trusts has not ended and nothing has changed since the announcement on 25 March.

"However, free parking for staff has only been made possible by support from local authorities and independent providers and this support cannot continue indefinitely."

Mr Argar said the Government wanted to be able to make good on its promise of free hospital parking for the disabled, frequent outpatient attendees, parents of sick children who are staying overnight and nightshift workers.

He said: "Implementation of this commitment has been on hold whilst the NHS has been managing the Covid-19 pandemic and devoting its hospital parking capacity to staff and other facilities necessary for managing the pandemic."

In response to another question from Labour's Zarah Sultana, also answered on Friday, Mr Argar said the Government was "considering how long free parking for National Health Service staff will need to continue, recognising that this has only been made possible by external support from local authorities and independent sector providers".

He added: "The Government's focus remains on...

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