A questionnaire has been launched to seek views on the hot topic of hospital car parking charges.
West Herts Hospitals NHS Trust – which runs Hemel Hempstead’s Urgent Care Centre and hospitals in Watford and St Albans – is also asking for opinions on transport options.
The survey, made up of 24 questions, has been launched under the trust’s new chief executive Samantha Jones and follows the announcement that the inter-site hospitals bus service will be scrapped from next month and Blue Badge disabled drivers will have to start paying for parking.
In an interview with the Gazette, after being in the post for just a few weeks, Mrs Jones promised to seek the public’s views on both issues.
She said: “We want to find out if there are better ways to manage our current hospital transport and car parking facilities and I believe that asking people for their views is the best way we can do that.
“Providing transport and car parking is costly and so we need to ensure that our limited resources are used to provide facilities which are cost effective, fair and accessible to everyone who needs to use them.
“Car parking and transport are clearly emotive subjects and there are no easy answers. The survey asks some searching questions and a number of possible methods for future parking charges. We need people to give us their honest views.”
The survey – described as a ‘listening exercise’ – is open until Friday, April 5. It is available online at http://travel-survey.com/whht2013/ and can be picked up from the main reception desks and restaurants at the three sites.
People can request a postal copy by calling 01923 436280.