Department of Health and Social Care written question – answered at on 20 February 2026.
Juliet Campbell
Labour, Broxtowe
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of hospital parking charges on patients with long-term health conditions; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing free hospital parking for those patients.
Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made of the potential impact of hospital parking charges on patients with long-term health conditions, or the introduction of free hospital parking for those patients.
It is important that the National Health Service is as accessible as possible to those that need it most. That is why the NHS already provides free hospital car parking to those in greatest need. This includes disabled blue badge holders, frequent outpatient attenders, and parents of children staying overnight. Some patients with long-term health conditions will therefore be provided free parking when included in these groups.
More widely, all NHS trusts are expected to follow the published NHS Car Parking Guidance. This states that car parking charges, where they exist, should be reasonable for the area, with further information available at the following link:
Yes1 person thinks so
No0 people think not
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Secretary of State was originally the title given to the two officials who conducted the Royal Correspondence under Elizabeth I. Now it is the title held by some of the more important Government Ministers, for example the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.
