“If people do not park in a recognised space, we do issue parking charges” – that’s from bosses at St Mary’s Hospital after swathes of staff members were ticketed for parking in visitor spaces earlier this week.
Staff returned to their cars after long shifts on Tuesday to find dreaded yellow stickers on their windscreens – and in sizable numbers too, something even visitors to the hospital picked up on.
It’s understood a lack of staff allocated parking led to those arriving for work deciding to park in visitor bays instead.
One witness has told Island Echo:
“There was a huge amount of yellow tickets all over the car park, in all the rows I saw.
“The security staff were smiling and enjoying ticketing staff cars when I saw them doing so”.
“I think it’s wrong they even have to pay to go to work, now they are being ticketed”.
An Isle of Wight NHS Trust spokesperson has said:
“Visitor and staff car parking at St Mary’s Hospital is regularly reviewed to ensure it meets the needs of both our community and staff.
“As well as spaces at the front of the hospital, staff parking is available at the rear of the site, along with an overflow car park at Lonsdale Avenue, which consistently has available spaces.
“Unfortunately, if people do not park in a recognised space, we do issue parking charges.”
It was in October last year that Island Echo reported on outrage over plans to significantly increase the amount staff pay to park.
As if the hospital staff haven’t got enough to cope with this time of year, disgusting.
Well it’s nice to see that someone is enjoying their job.
Ah, yes, park in Lonsdale Avenue you say ?…What planet do they live on ?
Smacks of double standards. ask how much the surgeons and top management pay to park at the hospital, answer nothing.
Morals of a snake comes to mind
If the members of staff parked correctly they would
not have received tickets.
Too many Numpty’s think they can park where they want!
“Lack of education seems to be the problem”
They earn enough money to pay the fines, so pay up
and park correctly in future.
Simple.
Oh I bet the conversations around your dinner table are such a joy.
There is never enough car parking spaces whether by the main entrance or the North section for either staff or patients, nearly 30mins the other day waiting for a gap, nearly missed an appointment!
What a disgusting shit way to treat such valuable people. Pure greed,power and controlling problem. They need to do more about those taking the piss, parking in the hospital, then walking across the road to catch the bus into Cowes. I have seen it happen several times, both going and coming back. No wonder there are never any parking spaces for us with appointments
As with most hospitals it seems more of a money collection than sorting parking and reviewing it. There is actually parking across the road on prison side but this seems to be ignored and not maintained but is also open. The parking will only get worse but the security should really give tickets for this and I must admit really if you got a ticket I wouldnt hesitate to ignore it but up to anyone else to do that. The lonsdale isnt too far for someone parking long periods but the maintenance isnt great although it is marked NHS on it.
You’ll find the parking across the road is for prison staff and visitors only. It is controlled by the prison security department.
Is it any wonder the hospital is short staffed ?.
Whether the staff parked in the right place or not does not answer the reality which is that the NHS is fishing in an ever decreasing pool for trained staff. Anything which puts people off working at the hospital risks undermanning, ward or deprtment closures and a reduction in service to the people of the Island. We relied on these people during Covid and people did there clapping on doorsteps on Thursday evenings. We rely on them when we or our loved ones are ill or injured. But all that support evaporates when it comes to supporting their pay and conditions. Call me old fashioned but anyone who thinks it is a good idea to make life harder for people who work in the caring professions should be ashamed of themselves.
Go to a mainland Hospital, then you will realise
how cheap parking is at St Mary’s
Bloody typical, pick on the most valuable members of our society. Those who patch us up and save lives should be able to park free, after all, they get an excuse of a wage as it is. They would get treated and valued abroad as society cannot do without them. Bless them all and I thank them all for doing an excellent job.
Another example of punishing hard-working people trying to serve their community and do the right thing while rewarding the lazy scroungers who contribute nothing.
With stupid sh!t like this going on, its no wonder there’s a staff shortage at the hospital.
wakers ..don’t pay stuff em..