Car parking money tots up while you are waiting for appointments at hospital

I am not at all surprised judging by the amount of time people are kept waiting for their appointments in the various outpatient clinics.

I accompanied a friend for a 10.45am appointment, parking at 10.30am, and the clinic board stated that all clinics were running on time. Great, we said, we’ll be out of here in an hour.

Foolish words. We finally got seen an hour and a half later, so that after consultation, etc, we racked up three hours parking – costing us £4.20 instead of £1.80 for one hour.

Too many people are being booked in for the same consultant and team at the same time. It is not humanly possible for the depleted number of staff to achieve this, so everyone incurs extra costs in the car parks, therefore boosting the car park profits.

‘Simples’ as our friends the meerkats say. So are we to put up with this daylight robbery?

I did ask for a refund at clinic reception and a horrified assistant said she had never been asked that before, and anyway as all car park monies are ploughed straight back into hospital funds, people accept the charges.

She said to inform the car park attendant of the late clinic situation and my charge would be adjusted at exit. Was it? Of course not.

To get it reduced I’d have to go back to Level 2 and get them to contact him. More delay, more charges incurred, I thought, and then Level 2 might not co-operate. So I paid up, under protest, and later contacted the PALS at the hospital, (Patient liaison service) but as yet, I have not had a reply.

So a skinny purse for me and a fat one for the John Radcliffe.

Jenny Shepherd, Deanfield Road, Botley, Oxford

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