"Not suitable for motorists"

The Bushey Surgery (and several others) struggle to live up to the NHS principles of ‘Free at the point of Delivery’, or of a Caring organisation, while working with and possibly benefiting from the racketeering of creepy and predatory ‘parking companies’.

As a longstanding patient I attended Bushey Surgery several times and three out of four times found not a single ‘lawful’ parking space available except for disabled users, after touring the congested car park. I therefore parked for my appointment in a responsible way without blocking anything or presenting any hazard but have been targeted with extortionate demands of £60 to £100 per visit. Sneaky photographs had evidently been taken of my car seconds after I left it; no attempt was made to ask me to park elsewhere. I now go to a surgery which says it has no parking available, so at least it is truthful.

This has nothing to do with a need to euphemistically ‘manage’ the parking and it is not the right way to potentially top up the funds. There was room for more spaces were it not for the unnecessary beautifully painted yellow lines. The company describes Bushey Health Centre as its 'client' and the health centre may also be a targeted victim of the company(s) if BHS has unwisely committed to a long-term contract.

The Surgery says it has vacancies for new patients and is drawing them in without stipulating non-car users or warning them of the parking situation, which will clearly get worse when they arrive.

A car is a standard means of attendance of most of the patients. Motorists are faced with either surrendering to these ‘charges’ or commencing a long, costly and stressful campaign of appeals which can damage mental health. Money-grabbing parking companies are not compatible with the principles of the NHS and health centres.

Cheques remain an appropriate way to pay fines or ‘charges’ like this: what sort of company principal wants to riffle his hands through cheques written by patients potentially with Covid, HIV-Aids, the list goes on. Insanity meets the insanitary...

Users of the Bushey H/C car park are users of the health centre as it is a long distance from Tesco or other shops. The use of ANPR would be an even worse invasion of privacy, which is horribly intrusive in society and even more so in a healthcare setting. Payment ‘apps’ or other non-cash systems would not be suitable for most attendees. I suggest that this and other car parks can be self-managing without the intimidating use of a parking company. Parking is free in the NHS in Scotland. The company proprietor's purported location(s) is listed on Governnment websites but is not a good place to post payment of the 'charges'. I would encourage all patients attending by car in their own interests to boycott this circus and go elsewhere.

At Bushey Health Centre the doctors have been good.

Regrettable that health specialists in their future career will be asked why their Surgeries got an increasing number of one-star reviews.