Free parking for cancer patients needed

Politics.co.uk
Macmillan: Free parking for cancer patients needed
Tuesday, 18 Jul 2006 10:27
Macmillan cancer support has said the government should act now to introduce free parking for all cancer patients visiting hospital regularly, after a health select committee report criticised hospital parking charges.

Chief executive Peter Cardy said the charity had long campaigned on this issue, with its latest report finding the average cancer patient made 53 trips to hospital throughout their treatment, with parking costing an average of £3.87 per visit. "It is unacceptable for patients to pay hundreds of pounds in parking charges to attend hospital for treatment so the committee's recommendation for reduced, or free, parking charges is great news," he said.
Mr Cardy added: "Cancer patients must no longer be forced to pay to attend hospital for life-saving treatment.
"Cancer treatment involves a lot of expensive machinery – a hospital parking meter should not be one of them."