Sir – I write to express the great frustration experienced by myself, many staff members and many members of the public on reading the ignorant, arrogant and silly words of city councillor Colin Cook on parking at the John Radcliffe Hospital.


The council’s formula which assumes one size fits all is foolish gibberish for several reasons:
Mr Cook may wish to know that no staff member can get hold of a permit unless they live a significant distance away from the John Radcliffe.
Mr Cook should also educate himself about the degree to which NHS staff work antisocial hours during which public transport grinds to a halt. Mr Cook should also know that the NHS has a particularly high percentage of female employees who need their cars for transporting their children. The council’s attitude on hospital parking is consequently moronic.
There are simply not enough parking spaces at the hospital. The fact that the council are dumping the problem at the door of Trust management says it all, the Trust can do no more.
Patients, their families and staff will continue to suffer until the council pulls its fingers out of its ears and bothers to do something to address the problem.
Benjamin Dean, Orthopaedic Registrar, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust