Andrew Tromans, a councillor representing Wollaston and Stourbridge Town, has spoken out after discovering that adults accompanying children overnight at Russell's Hall Hospital are entitled to free parking – a fact he says he was never informed of during his own family's experience.
Mr Tromans, who spent nearly a month at the hospital with his wife while their son stayed overnight, described the revelation as "a kick in the teeth" and said they had spent "a small fortune" on parking charges over the years.
Lack of Awareness Leads to Unnecessary Charges
Speaking about his family's ordeal, Mr Tromans said: "Over the last few years my wife and I have spent nearly a month at RUH staying with our boy overnight and in that time we have spent a small fortune on parking. It's a bit of a kick in the teeth. At no point were we ever made aware of the provision for free parking."
He believes clearer information should be provided to parents and carers when children are admitted to hospital, ensuring families do not unnecessarily pay parking charges they may be exempt from.
"It needs to be made clearer to parents and carers staying overnight with children that they can access free parking," he added.
Fault Lies with Private Company, Not NHS Staff
Mr Tromans was quick to clarify that the fault does not lie with NHS staff, but with the private company running the car park.
"I do not hold frontline staff responsible for this as they are too busy picking up the broken pieces of a failing social care system and crumbling public realm thanks to years of cuts," he said.
PFI Contract Restricts Hospital's Control
The issue was raised during a recent scrutiny meeting as part of a wider discussion about RUH parking and the hospital's long-term Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contract. The PFI agreement, signed in 2001, prevents the NHS trust from managing the parking facilities directly until 2041.
The car parks at Russell's Hall Hospital form part of the PFI arrangement with Summit Healthcare. They are operated on a day-to-day basis by the private company Group Nexus, which operates the ANPR system.
As a result of the PFI contract, the hospital trust has limited control over parking operations, leaving families to navigate the system without clear guidance on available exemptions. Mr Tromans's call for clearer communication highlights a broader concern about how private operators communicate entitlements to patients and their families.
