8. Will the Cabinet Secretary make a statement regarding hospital car parking charges in South Wales Central? OAQ(5)0150(HWS)

In South Wales Central, the University Hospital of Wales is the only site. Across NHS Wales there are three hospital sites that have external contracts in place until 2018 and that charge for parking. Parking at all other sites is free of charge to patients, staff, and visitors.

Yes, thanks for the answer. There has been a lot of contention about the charges, particularly at the university hospital, known as Heath hospital colloquially. Recently, there was an instance of a nurse who was charged despite leaving a sign on her dashboard saying that she was a cardiac emergency nurse on call. So, the wardens may have been over-zealous in their approach. I understand that the deal is running out next year. Could the Minister give any assurances that, once the deal does expire, parking charges will end at Heath hospital?

Yes, we’ve been absolutely upfront that those charges will end at the end of the contract. Look, I think there are two different issues, though, with respect, that I think may be slightly being confused, Presiding Officer. One is charges for car parking spaces, and the other is parking on site. There has been an issue at the Heath about parking on site. It’s helpful for all Members to remember that part of the reason why a different approach was taken to parking in other places outside of car parking zones and car parks themselves was because there were challenges about the site itself and, in fact, there was a death, probably as a result of parking in an inappropriate place on the site. So, we need to consider the two different things separately: one is how parking is managed on the Heath, outside of car parks, and the other is our clear commitment to free parking on all hospital sites by March 2018.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary.