A consultant at Oxford's Radcliffe Infirmary has put up a sign warning patients of car parking misery if departments from the hospital relocate across the city.

Grant Bates, a consultant in the Ear, Nose and Throat Department (ENT) and chairman of the infirmary's Medical Staff Council, has stuck his hand-written notice at the department's out-patients' reception in Woodstock Road.

Plans to reshuffle health care in Oxford could transfer head and neck care, which includes ENT, from the Radcliffe Infirmary to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Headington, and Mr Bates's notice predicts trouble ahead if the switch takes place.

It reads: "Message from Mr Bates: If you think parking is bad at the RI, it's worse already at the JR and if we moved it would be impossible."

Parking at the Radcliffe Infirmary is scarce and there are fears the Headington hospital's car park will feel the squeeze if new patients use their cars to get there.

Mr Bates told the Oxford Mail: "We see 140,000 out-patients a year at the Radcliffe Infirmary - that is two-thirds of what the John Radcliffe has now and its car park is already full. "Parking here is difficult, but lots of people come by bicycle and use the park-and-ride. If we move to the John Radcliffe, more people will use cars and the environmental impact will be enormous."

He added: "We have major concerns about parking and access to the John Radcliffe site but no-one seems to have any solutions. There must be a careful review of the transport and parking implications of a move before it is considered any further."

Mr Bates is helping to carry out a survey of how patients they feel about the prospect of relocation to the John Radcliffe.

Megan Turmezei, secretary of the John Radcliffe Hospital, said the problem was being considered.

She said: "It is a hugely important issue for everybody. The trusts, the health authority and both councils are all working together to look at what happens with the move, not only in terms of parking but also traffic issues."

The note was put up without the infirmary management's knowledge, but Mike Williams, chief executive of the Radcliffe Infirmary, said car parking worries were not new.

He said: "I can understand peoples' views but this issue has been around for ages. Parking is a problem wherever you are."

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