HOSPITAL bosses have been accused of failing to tell long-term patients and their families about a scheme which would give them cut-price parking.

Under the scheme those who can show they have parked at the hospital all day for three consecutive days can receive a four-day free pass to be used within the next week.

But the policy is not publicised on the hospital’s website or other patients’ material, and instead it is left to ward staff to pass on the message to those most in need.

Yesterday when the Lancashire Telegraph visited Royal Blackburn Hospital no signs about the scheme were displayed in the car park.

Patient groups and councillors said everyone should be able to find out about the scheme, and check with administrators whether it is available.

And they called on the hospital to pay back parking charges to anyone who was eligible but not offered the service.

Parking at the Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital costs up to £3.30 per day, and the charges are set by Consort Healthcare.

Health chiefs are five years into a 38-year contract with the private firm, which built the £113million Royal Blackburn Hospital extension, to run its car parks The East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust pays for the free parking scheme from its own funds, reimbursing the private firm.

Initially, the scheme was introduced in 1995 for stroke patients and families of sick children, but since 2006 it has been open to all.

Hospital bosses denied that they had kept the policy quiet to save money, and said they had spent more than £16,000 in the last year in parking subsidies.

Hyndburn councillor and member of the Lancashire Local Involvement Network patients’ representation group Colette McCormack said: “I didn’t know about this scheme but it’s clear to me that it should be widely publicised and open to everybody who fits the criteria.

“People in that position should know about any little thing that could help them. I have had an awful lot of people speaking to me regarding the cost of parking at the hospitals, and that little bit of benefit would go a long way.”

Chairman of Blackburn with Darwen’s health scrutiny committee Councillor Roy Davies said: “If there are people who could have taken advantage of this but weren’t told about it, they should get their money back.

“But the fact is that it is the PFI people who should be having a conscience and paying for this.

“In any case, the private finance firms all over the country have got away with charging everyone too much for parking, for far too long.”

Gordon Birtwistle, head of the It’s Our NHS campaign group and Burnley Council leader, said he was “not at all surprised” that the policy had not been widely publicised.

He said: “In my view, it looks like patients’ needs are the secondary consideration at the Royal Blackburn Hospital and this is another example of that.

“Any system to help patients has to be available and manageable for all or not at all.”

Chris Hodgson, associate director of estates and facilities for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “On behalf of the Trust I strongly refute the allegation that we are somehow covering this up to save money – nothing could be further from the truth.

"We designed this scheme precisely to make sure patients and relatives of patients with long term conditions or needing long term treatment over a number of days were not burdened with high car parking costs.

“In partnership with our car parking provider East Lancashire Hospitals is pleased to offer this concessionary parking scheme.

"This is designed specifically for patients with a long-term condition or needing long term treatment.

“The ward managers and sisters are proactive in communicating this scheme to long-term patients as they get to know who is regularly visiting the wards for treatment and are therefore best placed to easily identify the people who will benefit the most from the scheme. Patients and visitors can also receive information about this scheme at the car parking office.

“The pass is available from the car parking office close to the main entrance to Royal Blackburn Hospital and just requires the completion of a simple form.

All NHS hospital parking charges in Scotland were scrapped on New Year’s Day and in Wales patient, staff and visitors were able to park free of charge at most hopsitals from April last year.

However even then charges can still be levied at trusts whose car parks are operated under external contracts.