PLEASE NOTE THAT PARKING IS STRICTLY LIMITED FOR USE BY PATIENTS WHILST VISITING THE HEALTH CENTRE.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

March 2010

Information for disabled car park users

Our car park is now becoming full on a more regular basis during our busy periods (Monday & Wednesday mornings).  When the car park is close to capacity there is now a tendency for non disabled patients to use the disabled spaces or to leave their car in the entrance or exit lanes, disadvantaging all of our other patients.

The number of drivers claiming a free disabled token now regularly exceeds the number of patients registered as disabled with us. In order to ensure that we can continue to provide car parking for all of our patients (and especially for our disabled patients), we will be asking all Blue Badge disabled drivers to present their updated permits @ Reception every two years (or upon renewal). Please bring your new (or existing) Blue Badge permit to Reception every two years in order that we can register you into our records. This will enable us to continue to issue a free car park token to all registered Blue Badge holders that are patients here.

From Summer 2008 - Parking Restrictions

1. During surgery hours parking for all patients and visitors to the surgery will pay a £1 fee at Reception and receive a token to allow their exit through the car park barriers. There is a token dispensing machine on the wall opposite the main reception window.

2. Registered disabled 'blue badge' holders are exempt from the charge.

3. Families on Income Support will be exempt from the charge.

4. Out of hours parking (after 6.30pm to 7.30am, Monday to Friday and weekends and bank Holidays) is for permit holders only.

5. Only cars with a valid permit issued by the Practice will be eligible to park here in the evening and at weekends. Unauthorised cars will be subject to a postal fine of £50 (increasing to £70 if not paid within 10 days).

6. Local Residents may be able to purchase a permit for out of hours parking. Numbers are limited. Please ask the Practice Manager for details.

Background:

Introduction of a £1 Car Parking Charge - Summer 2003

From Wednesday June 4th 2003 the Car Parking facilities at Boughton Health Centre was be substantially improved. There will be more patient and disabled car park spaces, better lighting, improved security and a car park attendant.

To facilitate this improvement Boughton Health Centre will be introducing a fixed car park charge of £1 (one pound sterling) for all visitors and patients. Registered disabled patients with a valid permit and families on Income Support will be exempt from this charge. 

Patients and visitors to the Health Centre will pay a £1 fee at Reception and receive a token to allow their exit through the car park barriers.
  
The fixed fee will allow parking for up to one hour at the Health Centre.

Registered disabled patients with a valid permit will be exempt from the charge. 
Families on Income Support will be exempt from the charge.
 
Car Parking spaces are at a premium in Chester and at Boughton Health Centre in particular. There are not sufficient spaces to meet present or projected demand.
The Practice has taken the decision to protect, improve and expand the car-parking it provides for its patients. Following our patient surveys in May 2001 and November 2002 our patients told us that this was the second biggest source of concern for them (after the availability of appointments). They were concerned at the high levels of rogue and inconsiderate parking evident.

Three major property developers are building several hundred new homes/apartments on the old Vauxhall garage site (Hoole Lane) and adjoining land here in Boughton. The majority of these properties will only have one car park space per household. We anticipate our car park will come under great strain unless we act to protect it for our patients.  
  
We know that at any one time approximately 40% of the cars in our car park have owners who are not visiting the Health Centre. Our survey showed that they are shopping in town, parked here all day whilst at work in Chester or using it as a meeting place to leave cars in a car-pool arrangement. 15% of cars double park (using two bays) and 15% of the cars in the disabled spaces do not have a disabled permit.
   
If the Practice takes no action at all then we face the risk of having no day time parking available at all for our patients from the end of 2003.
   
There is no financial support or grant aid for this project and therefore the Practice must meet the cost on a self-funding basis. A very similar problem was in existence at The Countess of Chester Hospital. Since the barrier controlled, fee paying system was introduced at the Hospital several years ago matters have improved significantly.  

The benefits we seek to bring about using a £1 charge.

• Improve our patient service and access to car parking.

• Increase the number of patient spaces from 24 to 38 spaces.

• To improve lighting and security (C.C.T.V.) in the car park (PHASE II).

• Provide a car park attendant to supervise the car park and assist patients.

• Eliminate the rogue car-parking that is up to 40% at peak times. When the new housing development takes place we estimate in excess of 100 cars needing off-street parking. We need to ensure priority for our patients. Taking no action is no longer an option for us.
  
• Double the number of disabled parking spaces.
  
• To increase the size of the disabled spaces in line to the EU standard.
  
• To make provision for our peripatetic Nursing Staff, District Nurses and Health visitors who at present cannot find parking here in between visits to patient’s homes and Nursing Homes.   
  

Please consider alternative forms of transport (car sharing, bus, taxi, bicycle, off site parking etc).
 
This system has been in use successfully at the Countess of Chester Hospital for several years now and makes the best use of a limited resource for patients visiting the hospital.
 
We aim to provide a continuously improving level of service to our patients. Recent feedback has indicated that this is an area our patients wish the Practice to take action. We have many elderly & disabled patients who find the present lack of available car parking spaces particularly difficult and distressing.
 
We have given as much notice as possible to our patients and visitors to allow them to make provision for these new arrangements.
 
Philip Smith, Business Manager.