Also, I used to work at a Hospital for 8 years of my life and then crossed over to being a visitor due to my Dad, so i'm well versed in Parking Fees and they're an absolute con and take advantage of people who are already having a shit time of it (patient/visitor wise). It's even worse given I know where the Parking Money is going.
General Election 2017 | Cabinet reshuffle: Hunt re-appointed Health Secretary for record third time
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Also, I used to work at a Hospital for 8 years of my life and then crossed over to being a visitor due to my Dad, so i'm well versed in Parking Fees and they're an absolute con and take advantage of people who are already having a shit time of it (patient/visitor wise). It's even worse given I know where the Parking Money is going.
Having managed car parks you can be pretty sure the landowner will get the bulk of the fees, the contractor will get a percentage or a flat fee.My very large hospital has free parking for families for long-stay patients, although they don't advertise it very well. A problem as big as charges though is capacity, during the day it's usually full, and making it free for all would make that even worse I'd have thought.
My very large hospital has free parking for families for long-stay patients, although they don't advertise it very well. A problem as big as charges though is capacity, during the day it's usually full, and making it free for all would make that even worse I'd have thought.
Indeed, which means funding is needed to make bigger car parks. I never understood why most Hospitals have normal outdoor parking, I guess because its cheap. The multistories at Queen Elizabeth were terrific, but part of the problem is that Contractors and Staff tend to park in the Visitor Car Parks. They'd arrive early in the morning and so there wouldn't be a huge amount of space left for Patients/Visitors.
They built a Staff Multistory but didn't make it big enough and it gets filled pretty quickly. It's all down to the usual poor planning ultimately.
Do they? Oh feck that then
I'm not convinced on the policy. It seems to incentivise driving to hospitals, which for city hospitals in particular is the last thing you want. There's the green impact on cities like Mcr that are about to target pollution from cars, for example. Then there's the fact that free car parking would probably mean most car parks were filled to capacity all the time. I know its not nice having to pay when you're off to hospital for some grim reason, but circling for 20 minutes looking for a space in a packed car park ain't great either. Especially at places like MRI or Salford Royal where the nearest on street isn't that close. And what about staff, do they get it free? Won't that encourage them to drive to work too? We should be pushing people away from cars, not towards them.
Personally I'd settle for clear standardised national criteria on exemptions &/or reimbursements, something like that.
Personally I'd settle for clear standardised national criteria on exemptions &/or reimbursements, something like that.
Multistory car parks cost about £10,000 a space to build. Amazing really.
Cool. Not a head to head, but each person taking questions by themselves. Think this was the one where Miliband got done for saying he didn't think Labour spent too much money.
Guarantee you can double that estimation for the Queen Elizabeth Job. The amount of wasted money on that project was shocking.
Oh
Having said all of the above, I remember struggling to pay dentist fees at £50 every 6 months. Or at least, knowing that the fees would be the difference between making money or losing it each month.
But now I'd be happy to pay a £20 contribution every time we visit a GP.
I don't know. Complaining about paying a few pounds is wrong considering private costs.
But now I'd be happy to pay a £20 contribution every time we visit a GP.
I don't know. Complaining about paying a few pounds is wrong considering private costs.
Blimey, Corbyn's Labour are so 'far left'.
Ah, that makes sense. Regardless of capacity, does sound a grim that someone could be profiting off those visiting ill family.
My very large hospital has free parking for families for long-stay patients, although they don't advertise it very well. A problem as big as charges though is capacity, during the day it's usually full, and making it free for all would make that even worse I'd have thought.
One of the enduring comedies of left wing politics in the UK is watching every left wing group try to claim they're the most left wing group out there, only to come over all insulted when you call them "far left".
I'm only insulted because the party is just barely leaning to the left, much to my disappointment. The idea that this Labour party is 'far left' is flat out laughable.
This sounds like a good idea. The downside perhaps being that obstructionism could become a thing.
If it was compulsary then people on the breadline wouldn't go for potentially life threatening illnesses
You must be wetting yourself at the prospect of John McDonnell taking over after a Corbyn demolition.
Despite the recent criticism of rich pensioners there are still millions of very poor ones, and others poor due to no fault of their own.
I'm happy to pay higher taxes personally, I'd feel a bit of a twat if I wasn't.
The problem is that it isn't a few pounds. Fuel, Parking, Food it all adds up. Do that 5/6 times a week and it's far from a few pounds.
If it was a one off visit then I agree, but for those that have to go on a regular basis then it adds up fast. Maybe one thing that could be done is have a free car park say 10/15mins away from the Hospital with a free regular bus service? Say every 15mins. Park and Ride type service. Of the 4 Hospitals i've been too, none had this type of service.
Well there is certainly no chance of you being reported to Trading Standards with that username.
Indeed, people earning less than (arbitrary threshold here) should be exempt, the same as prescription exemptions
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Fair comment rcoobc, although I suppose a charge worries me as a thin end of the wedge sort of thing. Thing is you could be pretty up against it financially and yet fit in to none of those categories, tax seems fairer to me. I'd pay more anyway.
Indeed. But you know, Tories can't raise income tax
My girlfriend and I got into trouble from a prescription exception funnily enough. She was pregnant at the time, but we lost the baby. They weren't happy that we didn't have a prescription exemption filled out. I think we were meant to pay and then claim it back. They let us off in the end for whatever reason
Joking aside I'm genuinely interested, is it Corbyn's fault that the party aren't left wing enough for you or is he doing the best with what he's got? If it's the latter then what should Corbyn be doing after the election that would be more benefiticial than finally resigning.
Iain-Duncan Smith did an Eminem rap on This Morning.
Any time now North Korea, hurry up.
The party as a whole isn't left wing enough, look at the candidates that get through the NEC. It's why I find the idea of anybody even remotely left wing getting anywhere near leader again absolutely laughable and why as long as he's on a leadership ballot, he'll win. The 'powers that be' wanting him to be kept off the last one wasn't to save money on sending out postal forms.
And the media is lapping it up even more so than he could have dreamed of. Anything to distract from the results of his flagship policies, they might make the people voting Tory next month think they're a bit of a cnut.
Join a party that is... or start a momentum movement and take comrade clusterfek with you?
You're voting Lib Dem aren't you?
this time yup... Ill rejoin the party and start donating again when they put somebody electable in charge
So why not start a new movement and take your flexible principles with you?
well given that the majority of pre 2015 members didnt vote for corbyn last time its quite obvious that when his clut followers throw their toys out of the pram with the absolute pasting their incompetent leader will get we will have our party back thanks...
Tories hit a new record in ICM polling.
Just like with other policies from the Corbyn team, what good intentions there might be or failed by its implementation and methodology. Do they imagine that all people who use private healthcare are worthy targets?
What could realistically happen now to stop the Tories from increasing their majority?
Theresa May punching the Queen and calling her a slag.
Oh, realistically... Blank.
Labours problems are fairly substantial. They need to get out of the pocket of the trade unions (who elected Ed Miliband instead of David), they need to get out from under the thumb of the left wing of the party (as much as it pains me to say it).
Future leadership elections need to look at the US Style for bringing in new voters, but ultimately elect a Nationally 'popular' candidate.
Edit - David
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The connection between trade unionism and Labour is one of the core aspects of the party though, is it not?
Unions of today can't really be compared to the unions of the first few decades of the labour movement.
Agree 100%
Hopefully the impending car crash will be the kick off point for the changes
Got one of these through my door today as well (though in a safe Tory seat so seems a bit of a waste of funds tbh)
They literally titled it Strong and Stable Leadership.
They literally titled it Strong and Stable Leadership.