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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Free parking plan for in-patients | Free parking plan for in-patients |
| (18 minutes later) | |
| Health Secretary Andy Burnham says Labour hopes to scrap hospital parking charges for in-patients in England if the party wins the next election. | Health Secretary Andy Burnham says Labour hopes to scrap hospital parking charges for in-patients in England if the party wins the next election. |
| He said patients would get a permit to cover the length of their stay which visitors could use to park free. | |
| Mr Burnham told Labour's conference the change would be brought in over three years "as we can afford it". | Mr Burnham told Labour's conference the change would be brought in over three years "as we can afford it". |
| Aides said it would cost £140m a year which would be paid for by cutting "bureaucracy and back-room costs". | Aides said it would cost £140m a year which would be paid for by cutting "bureaucracy and back-room costs". |
| BBC chief political correspondent Laura Kuenssberg said implementing the plan could prove tricky, as more and more hospitals were becoming foundation trusts which ran their own affairs, but the government had indicated it might change the law to force them to do so. | |
| Hospital visitors | |
| Parking charges at most NHS hospitals in Wales were scrapped in March 2008 - although some have to wait for contracts to expire in 2011 - and Scotland abolished charges at most NHS hospitals last December. | Parking charges at most NHS hospitals in Wales were scrapped in March 2008 - although some have to wait for contracts to expire in 2011 - and Scotland abolished charges at most NHS hospitals last December. |
| The issue has proved controversial as some visitors have racked up big parking bills while visiting sick friends and relatives. | The issue has proved controversial as some visitors have racked up big parking bills while visiting sick friends and relatives. |
| In a speech to the Labour conference Mr Burnham said success was "not just about the big things" but the little things which mattered to people. | In a speech to the Labour conference Mr Burnham said success was "not just about the big things" but the little things which mattered to people. |
| "When people are coming into hospital the last thing they want to worry about is keeping the car park ticket machine up to date," he said. | "When people are coming into hospital the last thing they want to worry about is keeping the car park ticket machine up to date," he said. |
| "It's not right if some people don't get visitors every day because their families can't afford the parking fees." | "It's not right if some people don't get visitors every day because their families can't afford the parking fees." |
| He said he would make "year on year savings on back office costs" adding: "We can't do it overnight but over the next three years, if we can afford it, I want to phase out car parking charges for in-patients." | He said he would make "year on year savings on back office costs" adding: "We can't do it overnight but over the next three years, if we can afford it, I want to phase out car parking charges for in-patients." |
| Mr Burnham's aides told the BBC that parking vouchers would be sent out to patients along with the letter telling them the date of their operation or treatment. The voucher could be used by anyone visiting the patient during their stay in hospital. | |
| But they said for now there would be no free parking for out-patients attending hospital regularly for their treatment. |