Free car parking for all NHS staff after 400,000 people sign petition

NHS staff will get free parking at hospitals during the coronavirus crisis.

The Government has faced huge pressure to waive the charges for all healthcare workers, who normally pay anywhere in the region of £50 to £200 to park their cars at hospitals.

A petition which called for the Government to scrap parking charges for NHS staff during the Covid-19 pandemic has received over 415,000 signatures.

And now the Government has given funding to all NHS trusts to provide free parking for NHS workers and social care staff during the outbreak.

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National Car Parking (NCP) also confirmed it will provide NHS staff free parking at all 150 of their car parks in England,

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: ‘Our NHS is facing an unprecedented challenge, and I will do everything I can to ensure our dedicated staff have whatever they need during this unprecedented time.

‘So we will provide free car parking for our NHS staff who are going above and beyond every day in hospitals across England.

‘My enormous gratitude goes out to the many NHS Trusts and other organisations already providing free car parking and I urge other Trusts to do the same with our backing.’

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said: ‘Our NHS staff are working round the clock gearing up to deal with this unprecedented global health threat, which will be a major challenge for health services across the world, and we have listened to what they have told us would make their lives easier.

‘Free parking will make a big difference for hundreds of thousands of frontline staff, but this is just the start, and we will setting out further support offers over the coming days and weeks, to ensure the NHS looks after those who look after all of us.’

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Source: Metro News UK