It reneges on a pledge in the NHS People Plan calls for parking to remain free.
The Government is to end free car parking for health and social care workers by June, according to reports.
The new guidance is contrary to an NHS England pledge in the People Plan that calls for parking to remain free for the duration of the pandemic. It states; “NHS organisations should continue to give their people free car parking at their place of work for the duration of the pandemic.”
Late last year some NHS trusts ignored the Governments advice and started to reimplement parking charges for some workers.
A survey undertaken by NursingNotes reveals that some nurses are paying upwards of £50 per month to work on the frontline.
Penny-pinching.
Meanwhile, hospital car parking remains free in most parts of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Unions have today accused the Government of “penny-pinching”.
Rehana Azam, GMB National Secretary responded to the news; “It’s clear Minister’s priorities are all in the wrong places and some are increasingly becoming the penny-pinching bad bosses we see in the private sector.”
“They might have thought they’d get away with secretly lifting free parking for NHS & social care staff – well they can think again.
“We know the public are on our side.
“The government need to back down and continue with the free parking we secured at the start of the pandemic. If they don’t, they risk stirring up an already demoralised workforce who will want to respond strongly to resist further cuts to their pay, terms, and conditions.”