New payment machines have been installed in the Princess Royal Hospital car park in Haywards Heath, allowing patients to pay by credit or debit card for the first time.
Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust (BSUH) have introduced the new machines as part of a planned investment programme into the hospital buildings and facilities.
Notes will no longer be accepted by the machines, as the trust has previously been subject to a small number of fraudulent notes being used to pay for parking. Patients and visitors will also need the correct change to pay for their parking.
Aside from the new machines, all other elements of the car parking experience remain the same with concessions and free parking still available for some groups of patients during their treatment. Wards and departments can assist with obtaining these special permits. Blue badge and holders of other concessions are also unaffected, and partners of women in the delivery suite are also entitled to a discount on their parking.
If a patient’s appointment over-runs, then they can extend their ticket by calling the onsite security team. There will be no action taken on overstayed tickets once Security has been notified, and all tickets can be extended.
The new machines have been installed without the need to raise car parking charges, which remain at less than £1 per hour for most of the day:
| Length of stay | Price |
| 0-2 hours | £2.00 |
| 2 – 4 hours | £3.20 |
| 4 – 6 hours | £4.40 |
| 6 – 12 hours | £8.00 |
| 12 – 24 hours | £18.00 |
Philip Holmes, Director of Facilities and Estates for Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, said:
“Our new machines will make paying for parking quicker and more convenient for our patients and their visitors.
“This is just one of a series of improvements to the hospital which visitors will see over the coming months, improving the facilities and increasing the levels of care we can provide.”
The Security and Reception desk teams will be able to answer any questions from patients or car park users. There is also a weekly forum that’s been established to receive feedback on car park operation; customers can share their feedback directly with the Reception desk team or email transport.bureau@bsuh.nhs.uk.
