Aintree Hospital have they something to hide?

bromsgrovebarry

Oversight, transparency and accountability are essential parts of delivering our tax-funded services to ensure value for money, and that people aren't "taking advantage" or worse.[/QUOTE]

Exactly. There have been too many abuses of power in the NHS in which the unaccountable have turned the provision of services into nice little earners. Hence the need for accountability to the public rather than politicians and civil servants.

proactive

i still can't see how making this hospital spend a load of cash on constant freedom of info requests about carparks is gonna educate the general public that they haven't gotta pay these fines.

anyway its not hard to avoid getting fined in a carpark is it just follow the rules, and worst comes to the worst don't pay up if you get fined.

trisontana

proactive wrote: »

i still can't see how making this hospital spend a load of cash on constant freedom of info requests about carparks is gonna educate the general public that they haven't gotta pay these fines.

anyway its not hard to avoid getting fined in a carpark is it just follow the rules, and worst comes to the worst don't pay up if you get fined.

But they are not fines are they? They are unenforceable invoices that bear no relationship to the actual loss suffered by the landowner.

peter_the_piper

proactive wrote: »

and worst comes to the worst don't pay up if you get fined.

And so we we get back to square one where Trethowans/Aintree spent hundreds more than they could ever get back chasing pennies.

Coupon-mad

proactive wrote: »

i still can't see how making this hospital spend a load of cash on constant freedom of info requests about carparks is gonna educate the general public that they haven't gotta pay these fines.

anyway its not hard to avoid getting fined in a carpark is it just follow the rules, and worst comes to the worst don't pay up if you get fined.

Because it's not being done for that reason.

We want to know how many THOUSANDS the hospital is throwing at these pathetic Court cases - where we have only heard of the odd win and the cost of the case has far outweighed the 'penalty' (which doesn't even go to the hospital in cases where they use a third party PPC). So we believe the hospital is stumping up hundreds and paying a 'solicitor' each time, only to lose or for the PPC to pocket the money when the poor victim folds.

Gain to hospital = nothing. Waste of money stumped up by the hospital = we think, thousands.

So, find out how many thousands are being wasted and then publicise the info. That's the aim.

And you would be very surprised if you knew more about this issue. It is hard to avoid being fined for someone with a Blue Badge who knows that they are allowed to use it on DYL (on street they are allowed so they quite understandably, do the same in a hospital car park). They follow the rules and then the PPC swoops anyway. And then the poor person gets threats and actually thinks they have a fine, are going to get a CCJ etc. all for attending a hospital appointment! It is a scandal and a waste of public money.

proactive

what other methods could hospitals use to prevent commuters or people working in the locality filling up their carparks and preventing many patients/visitors parking from 8 til 5 then if not for the threat of unenforceable invoices?

Coupon-mad

proactive wrote: »

what other methods could hospitals use to prevent commuters or people working in the locality filling up their carparks and preventing many patients/visitors parking from 8 til 5 then if not for the threat of unenforceable invoices?

My local hospital uses a barrier at the exit.

You have to pay and then get a ticket that is read to allow the barrier to lift and let you out. Any unforeseen overstays, genuine ones, can be covered by a security chap manually opening the barrier (e.g. if someone took much longer than planned due to a longer appointment, flare up of condition or whatever).

peter_the_piper

Same here at Hastings.

Sirdan

Yep, here too ..a pay on exit barrier with discretion applied for genuine cases of overstaying etc.

It works no need for a parasite PPC and the cash goes to the NHS trust.

peter_the_piper

Hastings is quite confusing, barrier at one main car park. Barrier on staff one which is then often raised to allow public in at busy times, this then becomes P&D. the third park is straight P&D.