hospital parking fees

AndrewJRenko

iamwhoiam wrote: »

And did you fail to read this on the GOSH site !


We provide non-emergency medical transport where any other method of getting to and from GOSH would be damaging to the patient’s health.
Please ask your family doctor (GP) to arrange transport to GOSH if your child requires it to attend an outpatient appointment. If your child is coming for an inpatient stay, our staff will organise this.

Well done - you found a solution that doesn't involve having an empty 3m x 2m bit of land for every family just sitting there.

Turtyturd wrote: »

Unfortunately this seems to be the attitude of most people who just abandon their cars in the estates around the hospital. As I said, would be great if the council introduced paid on street parking (with permits for residents) but no doubt the likes of yourself would park 30 minutes away and block up those areas to save a couple of euro.

But yet, definitely has a couple of euro available to pay the toll bridge to save themself 10 minutes on their journey.

beauf wrote: »

You'd never get a buggy on my trains. Crammed like sardines until after 9. And it runs past the mater and temple Street. Seeing kids in the morning is very rare.

I'm on the Luas more often than on trains, and I regularly see parents with buggies and other young children, and lots of school children travelling to/from school. It's not easy, but it is doable. And yes, I'm sure your trains are crammed, but if there is room for 3-4 people, there is room for a buggy.

elperello wrote: »

OK I get it we are never going to agree but just do me one small favour, read Cythons post above and try to put yourself in his shoes.

Yeah, it was an interesting post, so let's be clear where I'm coming from.


I'm not saying 'No hospital should have any parking'. I'm not saying 'No hospital should be considering the needs of frequent visitors/patients'. I can recall the time when I was visiting St Vincents in Dublin every couple of days for a few months many years back. I think it was a fixed payment of a £1 coin to exit the car park, which was a bit of a pain in the ongoing cost and in having to have change every time. But it was doable.


What I am saying is that 'free parking', either for staff or visitors, is a luxury paid for by everybody, including those who cycle or walk or take the bus. That's not an option.


The expectation that there will be a parking bay sitting there for most staff and most patients and most visitors is probably an unreasonable expectation in any modern city. We need to change our expectations.


The idea that the location of a major piece of infrastructure like a tertiary hospital should be decided by availability of parking is madness.

decky1

if attending or a patient in Jame's Hospital you can enquire there about reduced parking it's 5 euro a day.may help your family if their spending extra time there.

What Username Guidelines

iamwhoiam wrote: »

There should be some system for parents or partner visiting daily to get a cheaper daily rate . Its not rocket science or brain surgery to work that out surely

Crumlin hospital have a system in place that once your child is in 10 days or more, a nurse on the ward gives you a signed parking form which you bring to security to get you a week long unlimited ticket for €10. This was an absolute godsend for us as our daughter spent 6 months there in 2016. Ticket doesn’t guarantee a space though so after 9.30 on a weekday there’s no point in even trying the car park til mid afternoon.

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

St James Hospital (site of the new Childrens Hospital) has a Luas stop IN the hospital, with trams every 2-3 minutes at peak time, and every 5-6 minutes most of time. It has park-and-ride options along the M50 and further out, and connections to Hueston and Connolly train stations. And they're still whinging about parking.

All well and good, and I agree that lots of people should be opting for public transport for the odd appointment here and there, but any of the kids on the oncology ward, if they’re “lucky” enough to be outpatients, require multiple trips to the hospital each week, some even daily. They’re generally immunocompromised which means even the most efficient transport system in the world is not an option for them, as even a mild cold could be detrimental.

G-Man

Thank you for a very illustrative email problem. There are genuine cases where this is a problem

..Crumlin...10Eur......Ticket doesn’t guarantee a space though so after 9.30 on a weekday there’s no point in even trying the car park til mid afternoon.

So in crumlin they appear to have very reduced rate but you cant get a parking space. That appears to show the problem that parking here is not dear enough, to make it worthwhile for either some member of staff or visitor to not use the space or else for the hospital to put in place a parking solution.... But they cant raise the price, or else everyone would complain - hence we are stuck with a crummy solution.

even the most efficient transport system in the world is not an option for them, as even a mild cold could be detrimental.

Its a tough problem, but it appears, just giving free or cheap spaces does not solve it like in Crumlin, and is definitely not going to address it when Crumlin moves to an even tighter spot in St James.

Is it not the case, that its a small price to pay for access to wonderful care. Its a nuisance or a downright expensive annoyance, but you still do it - your child is getting great care. at practically free to you. Can it not be seen, that this parking issue is detraction from the wonderful work in healthcare, does no-one stop to consider the treatment they are getting and what benefits its bringing back....Which is all done irrespective or parking...Parking has nothing to do with it..

What Username Guidelines

G-Man wrote: »

Its a tough problem, but it appears, just giving free or cheap spaces does not solve it like in Crumlin, and is definitely not going to address it when Crumlin moves to an even tighter spot in St James.

Is it not the case, that its a small price to pay for access to wonderful care. Its a nuisance or a downright expensive annoyance, but you still do it - your child is getting great care. at practically free to you. Can it not be seen, that this parking issue is detraction from the wonderful work in healthcare, does no-one stop to consider the treatment they are getting and what benefits its bringing back....Which is all done irrespective or parking...Parking has nothing to do with it..

Absolutely. It’s a very hard problem to solve unfortunately. Ideally it would be a multi storey with parking for a percentage of staff, allowing for some on public transport, but visitors is tough to provide for. I know crumlin did have both a nurses car park and consultants car park years ago, but they built a new ICU and heart into on the consultants car park and moved the consultants to nurses car park, leaving the nurses to park elsewhere.

Personally, I’d say our situation was dire and I’d consider a “need” for a space, but then again there were far more deserving of a space than me, given their more complex situations. I’m sure anyone who finds themselves in a children’s hospital no matter how serious the ailment may be, would consider parking an absolute must. I guess it’s more the stress of another thing to deal with when your focus is elsewhere.

If there is some way to solve it, then great, but hopefully stronger transport links at St James will help with staff getting there to reduce issues with visitors. It is undoubtedly the best place in the country for the hospital when you consider pairing the expertise.

G-Man

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

Personally, I’d say our situation was dire and I’d consider a “need” for a space, but

A tough situation and I am sorry that it was a problem and another stressor. I hope treatment went well and very generous of you to understand others also have needs. We should always assume that anyone visits hospitals only necessarily and with best intentions.

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

...... Ideally it would be a multi storey with parking

But where, hospital land is far to valuable - No more pollution near hospitals please.... read the first line of gsoh travel link earlier.

"Where possible, we ask patients to travel by walking or taking public transport to minimise air pollution and help our patients to breathe better."

What Username Guidelines wrote: »

they built a new ICU and heart into on the consultants car park .

So in despite of all the furore about parking, someone made the right decision, lets improve medical faciltities at the expense of parking.. When has any hospital done the opposite.. never..

The new hospital will still have lots of parking and public transport and a huge number of users, so hopefully the system will be smooth and allow a good balance to be met.

beauf

Its all a bit pointless talking about it.

They are reducing capacity, and charging. Usually in some form thats so awkward, it almost guarantees you catch people out and they get massive fines.
They won't stop people not visiting the hospital from using the parking.

The lack of parking is not about city location, thats a cop out. It due to bad planning. They were warned and did it anyway.

Its done as an issue at this point.

boombang

Anybody advocating free parking would have to anticipate arriving at a full car park and having to queue on a one in one out basis. This is already the situation at the Coombe, indicating the fee isn't high enough. Paying is unwelcome, but it does mean spaces might be available.

Ginger83

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Well done - you found a solution that doesn't involve having an empty 3m x 2m bit of land for every family just sitting there.


But yet, definitely has a couple of euro available to pay the toll bridge to save themself 10 minutes on their journey.



I'm on the Luas more often than on trains, and I regularly see parents with buggies and other young children, and lots of school children travelling to/from school. It's not easy, but it is doable. And yes, I'm sure your trains are crammed, but if there is room for 3-4 people, there is room for a buggy.



Yeah, it was an interesting post, so let's be clear where I'm coming from.


I'm not saying 'No hospital should have any parking'. I'm not saying 'No hospital should be considering the needs of frequent visitors/patients'. I can recall the time when I was visiting St Vincents in Dublin every couple of days for a few months many years back. I think it was a fixed payment of a £1 coin to exit the car park, which was a bit of a pain in the ongoing cost and in having to have change every time. But it was doable.


What I am saying is that 'free parking', either for staff or visitors, is a luxury paid for by everybody, including those who cycle or walk or take the bus. That's not an option.


The expectation that there will be a parking bay sitting there for most staff and most patients and most visitors is probably an unreasonable expectation in any modern city. We need to change our expectations.


The idea that the location of a major piece of infrastructure like a tertiary hospital should be decided by availability of parking is madness.

The toll cost was much better value that being stuck in Dunshaughlin, Navan, Kells and Virginia twice a day.

I have a pass that exempts me from all tolls now but i still wouldn't pay for parking as i think its a waste of money.

Graces7

iamwhoiam wrote: »

There should be some system for parents or partner visiting daily to get a cheaper daily rate . Its not rocket science or brain surgery to work that out surely

Why not link parking in with the Medical Card? The system already exists. Exempt card holders.

What happens when a person has a disablility badge also? If there is not enough designated disabled parking?

GreeBo

D3V!L wrote: »

The roads around Crumlin Children's hospital are sometimes impassable due to the huge amount of illegally parked cars blocking both sides of the roads.

The Gardai regularly ticket and the clampers clamp and it makes no difference.

The hospital are well aware of the parking problems around there and have an empty parking lot at the front of the building which is reserved for the consultants. There's also another vancant lot at the back.

Let me make sure I am understanding your argument correctly.

You would prefer that the consultants weren't able to park in the hospital they are working in?

Not much point in patients going to a hospital if the healthcare professionals cant get to work is there?:rolleyes:

GreeBo

elperello wrote: »

My point was not to make them look for spaces. Let them have a dedicated car park, just not in a prime spot near the building.

I am suggesting that the most convenient parking spots in a hospital should be for those most in need ie. patients.

Surely that's not too much to ask?

The patients that are most in need are typically most in need of seeing a doctor or consultant, who you'd have driving around looking for a space

iamwhoiam

Graces7 wrote: »

Why not link parking in with the Medical Card? The system already exists. Exempt card holders.

What happens when a person has a disablility badge also? If there is not enough designated disabled parking?

No I would not agree with linking it with a medical card at all . There are parents with very sick children in ICU and Oncology in Crumlin and elsewhere who are there 24 hours a day . Not all have them have medical cards and it puts a massive strain on them .

Ginger83

Graces7 wrote: »

Why not link parking in with the Medical Card? The system already exists. Exempt card holders.

What happens when a person has a disablility badge also? If there is not enough designated disabled parking?

It would be open to abuse unlike pay parking.

Moomintroll99

Yep, parking at Crumlin during our son's cancer treatment cost us hundreds over the months - when we were lucky enough to get a place at all. We were coming from the West and spending up to 10 days there at a stretch. And public transport is not really an option for a child who's just had intensive chemo and has no immune system.

Also, it's not claimable against your tax as medical expenses, which seems insane.

Moomintroll99

Is it not the case, that its a small price to pay for access to wonderful care. Its a nuisance or a downright expensive annoyance, but you still do it - your child is getting great care. at practically free to you. Can it not be seen, that this parking issue is detraction from the wonderful work in healthcare, does no-one stop to consider the treatment they are getting and what benefits its bringing back....Which is all done irrespective or parking...Parking has nothing to do with it..

I would actually dispute this. If you're given back your child with their immune system wiped out from chemo & told not to expose them to any colds etc, because the most minor virus could cause death when they are like that, I'd say getting them into a car to go home ASAP is actually part of the treatment. Cancer kids have to have a parent with them 100% of the time, also mandated by the hospital, so if you were without other support there's no way you could be ducking out to move a car around every few hours. It assumes all parents have a partner or other support, which is not the case. Many, many patients live far from Dublin and travel a long way to access this care and are inconveniently stuck with a car while their child receives it. Personally I would see getting the child home without exposing them to yet more life threatening situations as part of the care itself, rather than just an inconvenience for the parents.

PlaneSpeeking

Moomintroll99 wrote: »

I would actually dispute this. If you're given back your child with their immune system wiped out from chemo & told not to expose them to any colds etc, because the most minor virus could cause death when they are like that, I'd say getting them into a car to go home ASAP is actually part of the treatment. Cancer kids have to have a parent with them 100% of the time, also mandated by the hospital, so if you were without other support there's no way you could be ducking out to move a car around every few hours. It assumes all parents have a partner or other support, which is not the case. Many, many patients live far from Dublin and travel a long way to access this care and are inconveniently stuck with a car while their child receives it. Personally I would see getting the child home without exposing them to yet more life threatening situations as part of the care itself, rather than just an inconvenience for the parents.

The solution should be a parking pass for anyone deemed medically requiring to bring a car.

Anyone else, public transport.

AndrewJRenko

Ginger83 wrote: »

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Well done - you found a solution that doesn't involve having an empty 3m x 2m bit of land for every family just sitting there.


But yet, definitely has a couple of euro available to pay the toll bridge to save themself 10 minutes on their journey.



I'm on the Luas more often than on trains, and I regularly see parents with buggies and other young children, and lots of school children travelling to/from school. It's not easy, but it is doable. And yes, I'm sure your trains are crammed, but if there is room for 3-4 people, there is room for a buggy.



Yeah, it was an interesting post, so let's be clear where I'm coming from.


I'm not saying 'No hospital should have any parking'. I'm not saying 'No hospital should be considering the needs of frequent visitors/patients'. I can recall the time when I was visiting St Vincents in Dublin every couple of days for a few months many years back. I think it was a fixed payment of a £1 coin to exit the car park, which was a bit of a pain in the ongoing cost and in having to have change every time. But it was doable.


What I am saying is that 'free parking', either for staff or visitors, is a luxury paid for by everybody, including those who cycle or walk or take the bus. That's not an option.


The expectation that there will be a parking bay sitting there for most staff and most patients and most visitors is probably an unreasonable expectation in any modern city. We need to change our expectations.


The idea that the location of a major piece of infrastructure like a tertiary hospital should be decided by availability of parking is madness.

The toll cost was much better value that being stuck in Dunshaughlin, Navan, Kells and Virginia twice a day.

I have a pass that exempts me from all tolls now but i still wouldn't pay for parking as i think its a waste of money.

So why did you mention tolls in your cost calculation above?

AndrewJRenko

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

Moomintroll99 wrote: »

I would actually dispute this. If you're given back your child with their immune system wiped out from chemo & told not to expose them to any colds etc, because the most minor virus could cause death when they are like that, I'd say getting them into a car to go home ASAP is actually part of the treatment. Cancer kids have to have a parent with them 100% of the time, also mandated by the hospital, so if you were without other support there's no way you could be ducking out to move a car around every few hours. It assumes all parents have a partner or other support, which is not the case. Many, many patients live far from Dublin and travel a long way to access this care and are inconveniently stuck with a car while their child receives it. Personally I would see getting the child home without exposing them to yet more life threatening situations as part of the care itself, rather than just an inconvenience for the parents.

The solution should be a parking pass for anyone deemed medically requiring to bring a car.

Anyone else, public transport.

Might well be cheaper to provide point-to-point transport than parking, based on the UK approach

loopymum

CUH is 15 euro for a day and about that after 4 hours. I was able to drive myself with gps permission but had to attend cuh every week for 3 weeks

PlaneSpeeking

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Might well be cheaper to provide point-to-point transport than parking, based on the UK approach

I know you're desperate to send the car to Room 101 but read above posts about kids with chemo and others with zero immunity following treatment.

Sometimes you need cars.

Ginger83

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

So why did you mention tolls in your cost calculation above?

I was paying tolls at the time.

I did not have the toll pass then as you need a Primary Medical Cert to get 1.

Graces7

Ginger83 wrote: »

It would be open to abuse unlike pay parking.

Explain please?

Ginger83

Graces7 wrote: »

Explain please?

People abuse disabled permit all the time, medical cards would be the same.

Graces7

Ginger83 wrote: »

People abuse disabled permit all the time, medical cards would be the same.

ah there has been a clamp down on that; fines...

and how could medical cards be abused? They have an individual number that can be checked easily at reception.

Just because some abuse a system does not invalidate the system.

Ginger83

Graces7 wrote: »

ah there has been a clamp down on that; fines...

and how could medical cards be abused? They have an individual number that can be checked easily at reception.

Just because some abuse a system does not invalidate the system.

There's no photo on a medical card unlike a disabled permit.

iamwhoiam

Graces7 wrote: »

ah there has been a clamp down on that; fines...

and how could medical cards be abused? They have an individual number that can be checked easily at reception.

Just because some abuse a system does not invalidate the system.

But why should a person with a medical card be entitled to free parking ? In my opinion its the parents or partner of a very sick child or a partner who would be in need ? A medical card holder may not even be ill ? In fact a medical card holder could park in a hospital for free and then hop on a LUAS to work ?

Graces7

iamwhoiam wrote: »

But why should a person with a medical card be entitled to free parking ? In my opinion its the parents or partner of a very sick child or a partner who would be in need ? A medical card holder may not even be ill ?

a sick child or its relatives should not be charged extra. If they are attending with that child then free...

and medical card holders should park free. low income means medical card.
some of the costs listed here would preclude many from attending for their needs.

your last sentence makes littl esense unless thinking only of abusers?

Graces7

Ginger83 wrote: »

There's no photo on a medical card unlike a disabled permit.

so?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Ginger83 wrote: »

There's no photo on a medical card unlike a disabled permit.

Too true.

While our hospital carpark has lots of disabled parking spots they are not free, as the holder has to pay to validate parking anyway.

Medical card holders or disabled permit holders aren't the issue anyway. It's parents and family who have the parking issues.

Ginger83

iamwhoiam wrote: »

But why should a person with a medical card be entitled to free parking ? In my opinion its the parents or partner of a very sick child or a partner who would be in need ? A medical card holder may not even be ill ?

Yes i thought that too. The visitor might have 1 but the patient might not.

Graces7

Ah well, we tried.... it would work and work well but you seem so hooked on abusers?

Please excuse me now...have a lovely evening..

iamwhoiam

Graces7 wrote: »

a sick child or its relatives should not be charged extra. If they are attending with that child then free...

and medical card holders should park free. low income means medical card.
some of the costs listed here would preclude many from attending for their needs.

your last sentence makes littl esense unless thinking only of abusers?

I don't understand your point at all ? Low income does not entitle you to visit a neighbour or friends and park for free ? Why would a medical card holder be entitled to park in a hospital car park for free ? I am lost

Ginger83

Graces7 wrote: »

so?

So a card can be borrowed for free parking.

iamwhoiam

Ginger83 wrote: »

So a card can be borrowed for free parking.

Not only that a medical card holder could park for free in Crumlin and hop on the 77 into town !!
While the parents of a child on the oncology ward with no medical card can't find parking

jmayo

Deleted User wrote: »

An awful lot of people, most obviously in Dublin with all its buses and the like, who drive to hospitals could get public transport instead. But then they'd have nothing to be giving out about.
....

Ever had a child with concussion where they had gotten sick and had loss of memory?
Would you suggest you queue up and take them on a bus, or two, to A&E to get them checked out.
Shure it might add to the disorientation for the crack.

Ever taken an older person for an appointment.
Shure feck them on a bus and they'll be grand.

How about a pregnant woman in labour ?
Not that there is any parking on site near the National Maternity hospital, but there is parking for Jags, BMWs around the back.

I know you are rabid shinner, but once and a while use some cop on.

Oh and the Dublin hospitals serve a huge chunk of Leinster and some hospitals such as Crumlin serve the country.

ted1 wrote: »

Should sick people be driving to the hospital ? If someone can drive there it’s Hardly an emergency

Again see above examples.

I have had to take child from school to Hospital. Would you fooking suggest we walk.
I know another parent who had to take child from football match.
Either that or maybe wait hour or two for an ambulance to show up.

I know sick people who would drive to hospital.
Now they aren't on defibs or ventilators at the time, but they are still relatively unwell.

Hell I know someone who had chest pains who drove to hospital, turns out it wasn't heart attack, but doctor friend advised them to get their asap.

G-Man wrote: »

Oh woe is me, they built a 100 million hospital, they treated me for a week with top class surgeons, caring nurses hi tech medicine and thousands of euros of drugs...and now the shower want 4eur for looking after my car.. Well I'm never going back there.

Ever consider fact a lot of people are paying thousands a year in health insurance, plus the taxes, the USC, the excess not covered in health insurance.

And €4 covers a couple of hours if you are lucky.

No one is asking for free parking, but there needs to be cheap available parking at all our hospitals.
We as a country depend on cars, never more so that at times of sickness.

Any moron, ala the proponents of every cocked up location for the national children's hospital, that claims public transport is adequate or that there are always ambulances do not live in Ireland and have never really experienced our health system.

iamwhoiam

Graces7 wrote: »

Ah well, we tried.... it would work and work well but you seem so hooked on abusers?

Please excuse me now...have a lovely evening..

I am not even hooked on abusers I am just wondering why you would think a medical card holder would be entitled to park for free in a busy hospital while a sick childs parent cannot find parking and if they do pay for it ?

LirW

I'd be inclined that people use public transport a lot more but the medical system like so much else is very Dublin centric, especially for children.
My son needs surgery and after waiting 2 years on the list we finally have an appointment. In the meantime he had a sister and we moved to the South East, yet he couldn't have his surgery anywhere but in Dublin. It takes me 1,5 hours to Dublin without traffic. If I would use public transport it would make my day unnecessarily longer, especially travelling with children.

There's no one size fits all approach really. Plenty of people can take public transport, for many travelling in from all parts of the country that might not be the best solution though. Same goes for people that bring elderly relatives or temporarily disabled that could kinda use public transport but it is a lot easier to just drive to the hospital as close as possible.

Parking fees don't annoy me, it's the lack of parking. If you have to bring an injured child to Temple Street during the week and you've nobody with you, have fun walking through town with a child to A&E.

Back home every hospital campus had a multi storey car park. The issues that people come in with are too different to just limit the parking to a first come first serve base. Like in so many other cases, it's poor infrastructure. Planning a big hospital without sufficient parking is madness, especially when so many people have no choice but to travel in from everywhere in the country.

mvl

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Might well be cheaper to provide point-to-point transport than parking, based on the UK approach

This would not apply to longer distance patients; and what's to say it can't get abused from within a system that needs loads of money to function anyway ?

But this is a concerning topic. Have seen the petition for cancer patients another user posted on earlier posts - https://www.cancer.ie/advocacy/current-campaigns/park-the-charges
Other than signing this - what else can be done to get this changed ?

Moomintroll99

I guess it's easy to pull the heart strings and talk about sick kids. But remember lots and lots of adults get cancer too. Any one of us could be one of them.

I would suggest to the 'Take the Luas' brigade to imagine yourself, if you can't imagine a child and parents, in this situation. Out of the blue a little lump or an itchy freckle or a sore tummy suddenly leads to the news you never imagined getting. Suddenly you're off work, so your income might be limited. Suddenly, your partner is now your carer, limiting their ability to work and perhaps more of your income.

Now imagine feeling constantly nauseous, maybe vomiting uncontrollably, maybe not very mobile, and needing care. As in, not just needing someone to drive you there, but needing help with things like going to the toilet or holding a cup to your lips. Not all medical treatment leaves you like this, of course, but some does, and some illnesses do too.

You've been warned that any sign of a fever is a medical emergency because sepsis can kill in hours. You feel like death, are shaking uncontrollably and you've just taken your temperature and yep, it's very high. Shame it's 11pm on a Friday night, but you've got to get in there as fast as you can for life saving antibiotics.

OK, now hop on the Luas! Spew on those drunk teenagers, wear a mask to try to avoid picking up illnesses, suffer uncontrollable nerve pain and grab your little bottle clearly marked 'morphine' to ease it while sitting next to some junkies. Having a great journey?

Or call a taxi. The driver won't mind that you vomit in his cab...will he?

And you're the lucky person who lives in Dublin and has access to public transport and taxis. Imagine if, like many childhood cancer patients, home was actually in north Mayo or Donegal?

This isn't about being a car loving petrolhead who drives SUVs at cyclists for fun. It's about access to care, and the fact that serious illness is already a huge financial burden.

Transport to care is not just a lifestyle choice, it's part of care. That's why they have ambulances. If some kind of sterile taxi linked park-and-ride was an option, I'm sure people would be delighted to take it, but there has to be a system, and it has to be built around the actual needs of actual sick people, not the simple solutions of people who just don't understand how serious illness changes your ability to operate normally.

Moomintroll99

But why should a person with a medical card be entitled to free parking ? In my opinion its the parents or partner of a very sick child or a partner who would be in need ? A medical card holder may not even be ill ? In fact a medical card holder could park in a hospital for free and then hop on a LUAS to work ?

All cancer kids get a medical card, no income test because the real cost of care would be hundreds of thousands and there is no private option. So for example, our son has one, but we, his parents, do not. I think here they meant free parking for the card holder's car.

iamwhoiam

Moomintroll99 wrote: »

All cancer kids get a medical card, no income test because the real cost of care would be hundreds of thousands and there is no private option. So for example, our son has one, but we, his parents, do not. I think here they meant free parking for the card holder's car.

And of course the child should have one . My point was that a medical card holder who is visiting is no more entitled to free parking than parents or partners of very ill patients . Personally I think any parent of a long term admission should have a weekly capped parking fee .
But a medical card holder may not even be ill , just visiting a neighbour !

Ray Palmer

It is very simple people abused the parking in the hospitals so they had to bring in a method to stop people from using the car parks.The supermarket needed to do the same in Molester because people were parking and using the DART.
They also don't want staff filling the car parks either.

Moomintroll99

And of course the child should have one . My point was that a medical card holder who is visiting is no more entitled to free parking than parents or partners of very ill patients . Personally I think any parent of a long term admission should have a weekly capped parking fee .
But a medical card holder may not even be ill , just visiting a neighbour !

So sick kids and families under huge financial pressure should be punished because someone at some point parked in the carpark? See I reckon it shouldn't be too hard to create a pass system for people who need long term treatment to distinguish them from those who just have friends who live near hospitals.

iamwhoiam

Moomintroll99 wrote: »

So sick kids and families under huge financial pressure should be punished because someone at some point parked in the carpark? See I reckon it shouldn't be too hard to create a pass system for people who need long term treatment to distinguish them from those who just have friends who live near hospitals.

Absolutely not what I was saying ?
I totally agree with you and am advocating a pass system or weekly cap for parents of sick kids
Genuinely don't know why you would think my posts are saying anything else ?Very sorry if my post gave that impression ?

Riskymove

Ray Palmer wrote: »

The supermarket needed to do the same in Molester

:eek:

Riskymove

Moomintroll99 wrote: »

So sick kids and families under huge financial pressure should be punished because someone at some point parked in the carpark?

I think you are missing his point completely

AndrewJRenko

PlaneSpeeking wrote: »

I know you're desperate to send the car to Room 101 but read above posts about kids with chemo and others with zero immunity following treatment.

Sometimes you need cars.

I know that you're desperate to continue to build our car centric society that has us zooming up the obesity and carbon emission league tables, but what does a car give you that dedicated point to point transport service does not?

Wanderer78

AndrewJRenko wrote:

I know that you're desperate to continue to build our car centric society that has us zooming up the obesity and carbon emission league tables, but what does a car give you that dedicated point to point transport service does not?

In some cases, major time saving and flexibility

Graces7

Riskymove wrote: »

I think you are missing his point completely

His points have often been unclear so it is he missing the point.

Why cannot Ireland have what is done in the UK? Have a pool of drivers, people with time to spare, at no cost to patients, to collect and bring home patients to and from appointments etc in their own cars. ? Sometimes too none emergency ambulances are used as outpatient transport.

Works well

Far better than here and with patients having to miss outpatient appointments because of costs and lack of transport