This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
Hospital parking charges set to end permanently in Scotland
Hospital parking charges are set to end permanently in Scotland after agreements were reached to buy out two car parks in Glasgow and Dundee operated through private finance initiative schemes.
The Scottish Government has also shared that negotiations are progressing to take over the last remaining PFI car park in Scotland at Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, with an agreement expected to be reached in the coming months.
Parking charges have been suspended at the three hospital PFI facilities since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. The agreements to take the car parks into public hands will mean this becomes permanent.
The new Scottish Government had pledged to take steps to end hospital parking charges permanently at PFI sites in Scotland during its first 100 days.
The Scottish Government has provided the funding for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to complete the buyout of the PFI car park contract at Glasgow Royal Infirmary for £26.3 million, taking over the facility. A similar arrangement has been reached for NHS Tayside to buyout of the PFI car park contract at Ninewells in Dundee for £9 million.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: "I am delighted to announce that these facilities will come into public hands and help phase out the legacy of PFI in hospital car parks in Scotland. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to our NHS workforce for their heroic efforts throughout the pandemic and this will ensure that, along with patients and visitors using our hospitals, they will not face the prospect of parking charges returning.
"There are no car parking changes in place at any hospitals after this Scottish Government secured an arrangement to suspend these at the three PFI sites at the start of the pandemic. Charges at other NHS car parks had already been abolished by this government.
"This announcement shows we are determined to ensure they will not return at any PFI site in Scotland. Talks are progressing well with the owners of the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh site and I am hopeful of reaching an agreement in due course. As this progresses we will be keeping the car park at the hospital free while the final agreement is reached."
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