Staff at Birmingham Children’s Hospital have been left stunned and confused after being overcharged for parking at the hospital’s closest car park, operated by NCP. NHS employees reported that they were charged £12.95 for a day rate on a Saturday—£5 more than the usual £7.95 fee—sparking concerns about sudden price hikes.
Sandra Hingley, a clinical support worker on the haematology/oncology ward, explained the uncertainty surrounding the new charges: “We normally pay £7.95 daily; however, on Saturday everyone was charged £12.95. When we asked, we were told this was now the price. A £5 rise that will make a massive difference to everyone.”
Despite this, NCP told BirminghamLive that Birmingham Children’s Hospital staff’s parking rates would “remain unaffected” by the recent pricing changes implemented at some other sites. The company emphasized there was no intended increase for hospital employees, who benefit from a subsidized parking discount supported for many years.
NCP also committed to investigating any individual cases of incorrect charging. A spokesperson said: “We will contact the hospital to identify any staff accounts affected by this issue and will issue immediate refunds where an overcharge has occurred.”
Sandra added that confusion persists as she was again charged the usual £7.95 after initially being overcharged, highlighting ongoing uncertainty about the pricing structure.
NCP’s swift promise to correct any errors aims to reassure hospital staff experiencing these unexpected charges.