Chamber
Plenary, 14 Nov 2007
14 Nov 2007 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Stobhill Hospital <br />(Parking Charges)
As we are all aware, Stobhill is only one of the hospitals where such car parking charges are being imposed. The charges are spread across Glasgow and the Borders area, and are causing fear and misery for staff and visitors alike. As the largest trade union representing staff at Stobhill, Unison has reported that many of its members are worried about suffering financial hardship as a result of this poll tax on the earnings of hospital workers. Relatives and friends of long-stay patients, as well as those who are visiting from out of town—as mentioned earlier—will face mounting bills as they perform necessary and psychologically beneficial visits to their loved ones.
The arguments of the health board are spurious and disingenuous. It is farcical to claim that because some people are abusing Stobhill and other hospital car parks, the board needs to dissuade them from that behaviour by imposing swingeing parking charges on legitimate staff and visitors. Why should honesty be punished, and why does the board refuse to reveal the fee that it is paying to the private company that operates the scheme? Many staff travel miles to their work at Stobhill—they work shifts, often over the parking company's fixed time limits. Women have to travel in the dark, as Patricia Ferguson mentioned. Public transport is often limited, or does not operate at the times required, as Paul Martin mentioned. Those workers save lives, and they will have to pay for the privilege of doing so.
Why were no scientific or academic studies undertaken by the health board on those vital issues? It is not the health board's duty to cut the amount of traffic on the road, nor is it the board's duty to make a cash cow out of its workforce and those who perform the necessary duty of visiting the sick in hospital. Permit schemes could easily be introduced for staff and those who visit long-term patients, and fines could easily be implemented to stop selfish people misusing the car parks at Stobhill and other hospitals.
Once again, Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board is acting in the high-handed manner for which it is known without considering the impact of its actions on staff and patients. It needs to be held to account. Although democratically elected board members will make a change in the long term, people at Stobhill are suffering financially now and they would appreciate the Parliament's addressing the problem. Neither Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board nor any other health board should be allowed carte blanche to destroy the core NHS principle of free health care at the point of need.
The arguments of the health board are spurious and disingenuous. It is farcical to claim that because some people are abusing Stobhill and other hospital car parks, the board needs to dissuade them from that behaviour by imposing swingeing parking charges on legitimate staff and visitors. Why should honesty be punished, and why does the board refuse to reveal the fee that it is paying to the private company that operates the scheme? Many staff travel miles to their work at Stobhill—they work shifts, often over the parking company's fixed time limits. Women have to travel in the dark, as Patricia Ferguson mentioned. Public transport is often limited, or does not operate at the times required, as Paul Martin mentioned. Those workers save lives, and they will have to pay for the privilege of doing so.
Why were no scientific or academic studies undertaken by the health board on those vital issues? It is not the health board's duty to cut the amount of traffic on the road, nor is it the board's duty to make a cash cow out of its workforce and those who perform the necessary duty of visiting the sick in hospital. Permit schemes could easily be introduced for staff and those who visit long-term patients, and fines could easily be implemented to stop selfish people misusing the car parks at Stobhill and other hospitals.
Once again, Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board is acting in the high-handed manner for which it is known without considering the impact of its actions on staff and patients. It needs to be held to account. Although democratically elected board members will make a change in the long term, people at Stobhill are suffering financially now and they would appreciate the Parliament's addressing the problem. Neither Greater Glasgow and Clyde NHS Board nor any other health board should be allowed carte blanche to destroy the core NHS principle of free health care at the point of need.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S3M-612, in the name of Paul Martin, on car parking charges at Stobhill hospital. The deba...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes with concern the proposal by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to introduce car parking charges at Stobhill Hospital later this year; r...
Paul Martin (Glasgow Springburn) (Lab):
Lab
I thank all the members who supported the motion and the thousands of people from my constituency and other constituencies who signed a petition in oppositio...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
I ask members to check that their mobile phones are switched off.
Paul Martin:
Lab
I hear an allegation from Cathie Craigie that it might be my mobile phone that was interfering with the sound system, but it was definitely not mine.As we en...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
Before I call other members to speak, I remind them that the debate is about parking at Stobhill hospital—the motion is quite specific.
Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Paul Martin on securing this debate on an important matter. I apologise to him and to members that I will have to leave when I finish speaking...
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab):
Lab
I congratulate Paul Martin on securing the debate. Stobhill serves his constituency, but the wider area that it serves stretches into my constituency, too. I...
Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
As we are all aware, Stobhill is only one of the hospitals where such car parking charges are being imposed. The charges are spread across Glasgow and the Bo...
Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab):
Lab
Like other members, I congratulate Paul Martin on bringing his motion to the Parliament for debate. I acknowledge the work that he has done over the years to...
Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I, too, thank Paul Martin for giving us the opportunity to debate this issue. I appreciate that a review is under way. I have lodged motions in relation to S...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
Given the number of members who wish to speak, I am minded to accept a motion under rule 8.14.3, that the debate be extended by up to 30 minutes.
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended until 6.31 pm.—Paul Martin.
Motion agreed to.
Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
This is my first speech in the Parliament that I have not written down, so it might be a wee bit more interesting than usual. However, I guarantee that my sp...
David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab):
Lab
I speak in support of the motion in Paul Martin's name. I have also supported the local petition that he organised. More than 300 of the signatures on the pe...
Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I pay tribute to Paul Martin for bringing the issue to Parliament's attention. The debate so far has been useful in shining a light on many of the problems t...
Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab):
Lab
I thank Paul Martin for giving us the opportunity to have this debate this evening. I start with a confession: I was not born at Stobhill, or even in Glasgow...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab):
Lab
I, too, congratulate Paul Martin on securing this debate. At the outset, I should make it clear that I recognise that the motion very much deals with Stobhil...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon):
SNP
I could be unseasonal and suggest to Jackie Baillie that it was open to the previous Administration to tackle this issue before last Christmas and that it de...
Paul Martin:
Lab
I welcome the cabinet secretary's commitment to carry out a review in respect of a number of issues, but will she examine the fact that the green transport p...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I will go on to talk about the review and about the timescale that I have deliberately set for it, because I understand that many car parking policies have b...
Meeting closed at 18:31.