The Isle of Wight Council is now covering the costs of parking for NHS patients travelling to the mainland for treatment – but not those going to Southampton.
The council will refund the full amount of a parking session to customers paying by PayByPhone (via their account) or through pay and display (through BACS only).
The car parks that the scheme will apply to are Quay Road in Ryde and River Road in Yarmouth – not much help for those travelling from Cowes to Southampton for treatment, as many Islanders do.
Cabinet lead for Highways PFI, Transport and Infrastructure, Councillor Phil Jordan, has said:
“I have brought this forward with the help and assistance of our parking services team so that residents of our Island can be free of the worry and some of the costs associated with their medical treatment on the mainland at critical times in their lives.
“I have been made very aware that simple changes to ferries, treatment and unforeseen delays can add to the worries and concerns of those people undergoing treatment and relieving the related parking pressures is a small but simple change we can make.
“Worry-free parking for patients who therefore need to leave the Island for treatment is a welcome and positive outcome and one we are very pleased to be able to offer for our Island community.”
How to apply for a parking refund
Within 28 days of the appointment date, the NHS patient needs to send through a copy of their NHS appointment letter and the Pay and Display ticket or provide the registration number for which payment was made if they have used PayByPhone.
Documentation can be sent by email to [email protected] or by post to PO Box 239, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 9FQ.
Parking Services will then check the information supplied and once verified issue the refund.
The following are excluded from the scheme and this mirrors the criteria in the Isle of Wight NHS Trust cross-Solent travel scheme:
- Patients travelling for private treatment
- Patients attending treatment at a private hospital
- Patients attending appointments with GPs, pharmacists, dentists, or opticians
- Patients in receipt of benefits which would entitle them to claim under the Hospital Travel Costs scheme
- Retrospective applications
The Isle of Wight NHS Trust currently offers a discount on cross travel for patients travelling to the mainland; full details are available online at https://www.iow.nhs.uk/Patients-and-Visitors/travel-discounts.htm.
Many Islanders have to travel to Southampton hospitals for treatment via Cowes. Why have these patients been excluded from this scheme? Yarmouth and Ryde, both operated by Wightlink. I wonder??
Obviously because Ryde and Yarmouth have two large long-stay car parks near to the ferry terminals while the only large long-stay car park in Cowes (Northwood House) is privately run.
you will of course note that the pier head is not included as the council do not get the revenue from this car park. Once refunded, The council will then bill the nhs for the parking charges that have been refunded.
The admin cost of processing these refunds? I don’t think I want to know actually…
Just build a tunnel so we don’t have this problem… or can the council justify over £300. weekend return for a car ??
A step in the right direction
Going for treatment on the mainland should cost you the same as treatment on the island which should be nothing
Phil Jordan is in the pockets of Wightlink, the council collect revenue from them via funding the coffers of the council, think IOW festival’s etc!!