Take a hike — Victoria Hospital chief suggests parking problems can be tackled with some simple steps
NHS staff have been told to get on their feet and walk following complaints about hospital parking.
Vehicles left on grass verges at the car park in Lauder Road serving the new wing of Victoria Hospital.
- By Claire Warrender
- Published in the Courier : 26.01.12
- Published online : 26.01.12 @ 01.10pm
People visiting patients at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy have also been urged to travel by bus or taxi to ease the situation.
Dozens of workers have been issued with parking tickets since the new £170 million wing at the hospital opened last week. Health chiefs have also been inundated with complaints from angry patients and visitors struggling to find a place to leave their cars.
Parking at the Vic has always been difficult, but the problem has escalated since services, along with hundreds of staff, were transferred this month from Forth Park and Queen Margaret hospitals to the new wing.
Despite there being 1,300 spaces, the surrounding streets have become congested and there have been reports of cars abandoned on double yellow lines and over people's driveways.
David Stewart, chairman of NHS Fife's operational division, made it clear that those issues were police matters but called on staff and the public to have some consideration.
''I know there are issues with parking,'' he said. ''I always made it quite clear from the outset parking would be difficult. We have done our best to persuade people to use public transport and other forms of transport to get here.
''If people park where they shouldn't, on double yellow lines or blocking people's driveways, then that's a matter for the police and nothing to do with NHS Fife.''
He added: ''It also needs consideration from our staff, who need to appreciate they will have to turn up earlier than before if they want a space at the hospital, otherwise they will have to park further away and get on their feet and walk.
''I park at the top of Whyteman's Brae and walk, and it would do some of our staff a bit of good if they did similar. I make no bones about saying that.''
Continued...
03.21pm - 26.01.2012 R.D.Robertson - Freuchie, Scotland Report This
So, get a bus or a taxi? Have the bigshots that make the decisions actually ever paid for a bus ticket or taxi fare from their own pocket recently? Mind you on their megasalaries they can afford it. Surely a fifewide hospital should have adequate carparks? NHS Fife cutting huge corners as usual.
04.38pm - 26.01.2012 Flyfifer - Cupar, UK Report This
The Victoria does not serve the whole of Fife. The population of Northeast Fife largely decants to Ninewells...where the parking is only marginally less of an issue!
05.03pm - 26.01.2012 Louise Maynard - Kirkcaldy, Scotland Report This
The staff car parks are dark, dangerous and anything but secure. Would the board really want their wife or daughter walking to a nightshift from Whytemans Brae? I don't think so. Get it right NHS Fife.
08.32pm - 26.01.2012 C Leslie - Kirkcaldy, Fife Report This
R.D.Robertson - have you tried putting petrol in your car recently? Getting the bus would certainly be cheaper for a huge number of people!
06.04pm - 27.01.2012 Caroline Baillie - Aberdour, United Kingdom Report This
I had to take my father to be admitted last week. I couldn't get any space to drop him off at the assessment unit - road was blocked by ambulances and cars. We had to park at Whyteman's Brae, and I had to hope he didn't collapse on the way to be admitted. The situation is dangerous.
02.29am - 28.01.2012 Dave - East neuk, Scotland Report This
People walk, how dare they suggest such a thing. That would mean people would become fitter and not get ill as often.... That would leave spaces for people that are honestly ill, frail or pregnant.
08.04pm - 28.01.2012 Anon - Dunfermline, Fife Report This
Does Mr Stewart work a 12.5 hour shift 3 or four days a week, have to get up at 0530 for work and come home at 9pm, feel like walking a further 20 minutes before and after his shift? No, Mr Stewart has no idea what conditions are being endured by his staff at present, let alone the patients!
12.45am - 29.01.2012 Charles F. - Dundee, Scotland Report This
@ flyfifer, not largely but completely. Parking at Ninewells would be substantially better if the huge swathes of Fifers accessed Fife hospitals, and left NHS Tayside to Taysiders.
09.32am - 29.01.2012 Minnie Mouse - Fife, Fife Report This
whilst the Chairman of NHS FIFE sits in his luxury car, contemplating his navel, perhaps he should THANK HIS STAFF for all their hard work instead of slagging them off. The move to VHK has already added 20 minutes to either end of my 12.5 hour shift, never mind the extra walking we do at work!!!!
08.11am - 30.01.2012 Peter - Dunfermline, Scotland Report This
Another glaring example of the short-sightedness of Fife (Kirkcaldy) council. Proceeding with thier latest flagship policy of locating services in Kirkcaldy without thinking through their plan! Who would have thought that patients and visitors would need cars to get to Kirkcaldy from all over Fife
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