THERE’S renewed calls for free parking at the Gold Coast University Hospital as tens of thousands of health workers and locals are asked to get COVID vaccinations.
Shadow Health Minister Ros Bates (pictured) said nurses were the heroes on the frontline fighting to keep the community safe.
“Their focus should be on keeping us safe, not on having to fork out their own money for parking,” she said.
“As the vaccine rolls out and crowds flock to hospitals, the state government’s failure to provide sufficient health infrastructure is costing our nurses.”
It comes as the Gold Coast Health and Hospital Service (GCHHS) has increased its staffing levels during its response to the COVID pandemic, with an extra 200 full-time equivalent staff members on the books. More will be needed when mass vaccination centres open across the city.
Parker Simmonds Solicitors litigation director Bruce Simmonds said a community-driven campaign was needed to force charges down for already stretched workers.
“Nurses and other hospital staff are being forced to park some distance away and walk to work, often in darkness so their safety is compromised,” he said.
“Over the coming weeks and months the demands on Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH) will be greater than ever as thousands rock up for their vaccine jabs.
“The vaccinations are free but we should not have to pay through the nose at the carpark to access the treatment.”
Mr Simmonds has previously called for free parking during COVID-19 lockdowns.
A Queensland Health spokeswoman said people could choose where to have the vaccination: a public hospital, their GP, or a pharmacy.
The hub at GCUH was “initially” being used to deliver the Pfizer vaccine to the priority 1a group, with most health workers based onsite.
“We work closely with the private carparking providers at Queensland’s free public hospitals to ensure staff and patients can access fair and affordable parking,” she said.
“Our hospital carparking concession scheme has already improved the availability and affordability of hospital parking for over 1.4 million Queenslanders since it was introduced in 2017.”
She said Secure Parking, which operates the undercover carpark at GCUH, independently set prices and that GCHHS didn’t get any revenue from car park facilities.
Secure Parking has previously said it takes fee guidance from QH. It is understood that of the 116 Queensland public hospitals, only 14 have paid on-site carparking.
Link to article: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/gold-coast/queensland-election-2020-the-greens-announce-new-plan-for-free-gold-coast-university-hospital-parking/news-story/546d44b4973867902e9c2211d1c57d55