BMA Scotland welcomed the Scottish Government's announcement that car parking charges would be abolished at NHS hospitals across Scotland.

Responding to the announcement, Dr Charles Saunders, Chairman of the BMA's Scottish Consultants Committee, said:

"Charging people to park at hospitals is an indirect tax on healthcare. The founding principle of the NHS is that healthcare should be free at the point of delivery and we are pleased that the Scottish Government has recognised the financial burden that these charges have put on patients and their relatives when they are at their most vulnerable.

We now call on the Government to work with health boards to find a similar solution for the three PFI hospitals which are not included in today's announcement and to ensure that greener forms of transport are promoted to staff and patients alike."

BMA Scotland
Public Affairs Office
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Edinburgh
EH2 1LL
bma/scotland