LISTEN: Thousands Sign Staff Petition About New Glasgow Hospital Parking
Clyde News is hearing claims that patient care could be seriously affected if staff parking at Glasgow's newest hospital is not "sorted out". More than 5500 workers at the South Glasgow University Hospital have signed an online petition saying there is not enough room for their cars.
By June 2015, in the largest operation of its kind in the UK, 10,500 staff, including 4,500 nurses, will have been moved and four hospitals closed.
The hospitals which will close are: Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Western Infirmary, and Victoria Infirmary/Mansionhouse Unit. Staff at Southern General Hospital will also be affected as they move to new buildings and the old buildings are closed down.
The Royal College of Nursing reckons the current situation "is unacceptable".
The RCN is calling for NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and Glasgow City Council to do "all they can to resolve the significant problems car parking and travel problems staff will face"
Our reporter Connor Gillies has the details:
Rosslyn Crocket, Nurse Director, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC), said: “The RCN need to understand that the parking policy is Monday to Friday between 8.00 am and 5.00 pm and nurses working at night and at the weekend will be able to park on site as is the case at the moment.
“The policy is designed to ensure there is a balance for staff, patients and visitors getting parked on the site and those staff who need to use their cars for work will be issued with permits. There will also be a number of staff spaces available for those without a permit.
“Staff already make their way to work on the site and other hospital sites on public transport.
“The number of spaces we can provide is regulated nationally by the campus carbon sustainability plan and the green travel plan. We are investing £5.2 million as part of a detailed travel plan which will improve accessibility to the NSGH campus. Improved public transport routes, traffic controls in the surrounding area and upgrading works to the local road and network are all being implemented.
“We are working closely in partnership Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and Glasgow City Council to ensure that the investment is targeted at communities where there is currently insufficient public transport.
“The Scottish Government is also investing £40 million in the new Fastlink scheme which will see, for the first time, direct transport from three main sites in the city centre (Buchanan Bus Station, Queen Street and Central Station) to the Southern campus.”
“We have also been working closely with Glasgow City Council and a planning application has been submitted to increase the car parking capacity by a further temporary 500 spaces.”