hospital parking fees

Graces7

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I know that you're desperate to continue to build our car centric society that has us zooming up the obesity and carbon emission league tables, but what does a car give you that dedicated point to point transport service does not?

What please have these high sounding idealistic irrelevancies to do with getting a child or an old person or anyone to and from a hospital safely and in as much comfort as possible? And without demanding money they do not have/ ? Obesity?

lollpop

Had to park in Beaumont recently. 4.80 for an hour and a half. 15 minute drive or 45 mins by public transport, no contest really.

Having also had to bring a sick child to temple St recently, public transport just isn't an option for kids in that situation. I had to go from my house to out of hours GP then to temple St. By the time I was on the way to the hospital, the child had started vomiting from the medication she got at the GPs and was seriously ill by the time I got to the hospital. I can't even imagine how that would have gone had we had to rely on (Sunday) public transport.

weldoninhio

lollpop wrote: »

Had to park in Beaumont recently. 4.80 for an hour and a half. 15 minute drive or 45 mins by public transport, no contest really.

Having also had to bring a sick child to temple St recently, public transport just isn't an option for kids in that situation. I had to go from my house to out of hours GP then to temple St. By the time I was on the way to the hospital, the child had started vomiting from the medication she got at the GPs and was seriously ill by the time I got to the hospital. I can't even imagine how that would have gone had we had to rely on (Sunday) public transport.

45 mins on public transport? The humanity!!

beauf

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I know that you're desperate to continue to build our car centric society that has us zooming up the obesity and carbon emission league tables, but what does a car give you that dedicated point to point transport service does not?

The car exists.

beauf

weldoninhio wrote: »

45 mins on public transport? The humanity!!

I'm going to guess that if a GP sends a child to hospital and they are having a reaction to the medicine they don't usually say " take your time no rush".

If it's super emergency they'll ring for an emergency, if they think you'll be quicker they ask can you drive. If it's not an emergency they'll refer to a consultant.

So what was the point of your comment?

beauf

Last thing I want to end up as I stand 6 inches crammed with my fellow commuters this morning is one of them being sick beside me.

iamwhoiam

Graces7 wrote: »

His points have often been unclear so it is he missing the point.

Why cannot Ireland have what is done in the UK? Have a pool of drivers, people with time to spare, at no cost to patients, to collect and bring home patients to and from appointments etc in their own cars. ? Sometimes too none emergency ambulances are used as outpatient transport.

Works well

Far better than here and with patients having to miss outpatient appointments because of costs and lack of transport

If you are referring to me I am a she and I can clear up any point you would like me to .I am not missing any points at all .

weldoninhio

beauf wrote: »

I'm going to guess that if a GP sends a child to hospital and they are having a reaction to the medicine they don't usually say " take your time no rush".

If it's super emergency they'll ring for an emergency, if they think you'll be quicker they ask can you drive. If it's not an emergency they'll refer to a consultant.

So what was the point of your comment?

I’m going to guess that reading comprehension isn’t your strong point. The sick child was a separate story. Completely different to the Beaumont, 45 mins on a bus story.

beauf

weldoninhio wrote: »

I’m going to guess that reading comprehension isn’t your strong point. The sick child was a separate story. Completely different to the Beaumont, 45 mins on a bus story.

So your ok with advising people to delay when taking sick people to hospital and wanting them in close proximity to as many people as possible. Perhaps getting sick and taking the vehicle or train out of service.

Reminds me of the people who crawl into work preserving their no sick days record and take half the office out in achieving it.

jam_mac_jam

It should be tax deductible or a limit to the amount paid for parents such as after a week. It is hard to bring sick kids on public transport.

However the days of free unlimited parking are gone. There are too many cars in use to sustain this and it's not up to the hospital to pay for parking. If you want the convenience of the car then you have to pay for it not the hospital.

Also not everyone who uses the hospital is a kid with cancer. So I think there's a bit of pulling on the heartstrings.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

iamwhoiam wrote: »

If you are referring to me I am a she and I can clear up any point you would like me to .I am not missing any points at all .

It's others who are missing the point.

I drive cancer patients to hospital appointments a few times a year, on behalf of a local charity, but we still have to pay to park our cars while we wait to bring the patient home.

The greatest users of hospital carparks are visitors and they are being charged exorbitant rates to visit friends and family in hospital.

beauf

I use the bicycle and train to get to work. But if need to take the car to save time I will.

What's causes congestion is not bringing sick people to hospital. Its building a hospital especially a national one, slap bang in the middle of some of the most congested parts of the city. Then requiring people to get to it in the same direction of all the other commuter traffic.

Also scheduling all outpatients appointments at the same time as rush hour.

beauf

Hayes Modern Sterilization wrote: »

....The greatest users of hospital carparks are visitors and they are being charged exorbitant rates to visit friends and family in hospital....

Visitors are generally off peak in the evening. Someone who is there in the middle of the day or morning taking time off work to do so, is hardly there for a social visit.

Wanderer78

beauf wrote: »

Visitors are generally off peak in the evening. Someone who is there in the middle of the day or morning taking time off work to do so, is hardly there for a social visit.

id imagine very few visitors would be working shifts?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

beauf wrote: »

Visitors are generally off peak in the evening. Someone who is there in the middle of the day or morning taking time off work to do so, is hardly there for a social visit.

What are you talking about? The charges at our nearest hospital apply all day and night at the same rate. There is no off peak for parking charges nor anywhere else to park. And, have you never visited a hospital patient during the day anyway? I'm not sure what you're getting at.

weldoninhio

beauf wrote: »

So your ok with advising people to delay when taking sick people to hospital and wanting them in close proximity to as many people as possible. Perhaps getting sick and taking the vehicle or train out of service.

Reminds me of the people who crawl into work preserving their no sick days record and take half the office out in achieving it.

Could you point out where the person I replied to said that they were taking a sick person to hospital??

iamwhoiam

Hayes Modern Sterilization wrote: »

It's others who are missing the point.

I drive cancer patients to hospital appointments a few times a year, on behalf of a local charity, but we still have to pay to park our cars while we wait to bring the patient home.

The greatest users of hospital carparks are visitors and they are being charged exorbitant rates to visit friends and family in hospital.

Absolutely Hayes Modern Sterilization . Outpatients take up a lot of spaces during the day too . In fairness many of those I would guess could use public transport .
The subsidies( or indeed free parking when needed) should be for those in need , those who are visiting patients in a long term admission , those with sick partners and sick children .Not for any willy nilly person who happens to carry a medical card as someone above suggested .By all means if the medical card holder falls into the above category yes of course

beauf

Hayes Modern Sterilization wrote: »

What are you talking about? The charges at our nearest hospital apply all day and night at the same rate. There is no off peak for parking charges nor anywhere else to park. And, have you never visited a hospital patient during the day anyway? I'm not sure what you're getting at.

Its about people using public transport instead of driving and there was an inference that most people are making non essential visits.

Parking fees is a different matter. Though looking for change at 2am is a bit different than at 6pm .

beauf

Wanderer78 wrote: »

id imagine very few visitors would be working shifts?

.. Generally... I said.

PlaneSpeeking

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

I know that you're desperate to continue to build our car centric society that has us zooming up the obesity and carbon emission league tables, but what does a car give you that dedicated point to point transport service does not?

I don't drive so please leave the anti car hetoric alone eh ? No one cares.

But you know I have 5 minutes before a meeting so I'll bite - the bold question ?

Been asked and answered but read moomintroll's post earlier.

Plus others (mine included) about immunity destruction etc.

Unless you seriously think you can get on a bike with an IV I humbly suggest this is not the post for your usual "campaigning".

beauf

weldoninhio wrote: »

Could you point out where the person I replied to said that they were taking a sick person to hospital??

So you have a problem with visitors and family going to the hospital unless they are sick themselves??

Moomintroll99

I know that you're desperate to continue to build our car centric society that has us zooming up the obesity and carbon emission league tables, but what does a car give you that dedicated point to point transport service does not?

Cancer is a fantastic cure for obesity in children, trust me.

I think you are conflating the long term health issue of 'how all the people get to work & school every day' with the short term health issue of 'how the unfortunate few very sick people get to life saving care'. I totally agree that there should be a less car centric society, with accessible bike paths, pedestrian friendly walkways, and penalties for taking unnecessary car journeys. That would be better for everyone's health. But some of us are still going to be those unfortunate few hearing bad news about random illnesses.

As stated before, a car gives sick children and adults the ability to:

- avoid life threatening infections from other users while getting to and from treatment
- access care at inconvenient times
- preserve dignity for the sick - avoid some of the 'Mammy, why does that boy have no hair?' type comments people make.
- let people from rural and remote areas access highly centralised services
- carry all the stuff - illness means a lot of bags of clothes/medications/equipment etc
- protect other public transport users from things like getting vomited on etc. Some of the sights associated with my son's treatment have been very, very confronting even for me as his parent. I just do not think commuters on a Luas really need to see some skeletal child having a fit or being completely incontinent or screaming in pain etc before getting in to their work.

For example, imagine your (definitely not obese) child with cancer wakes up having a seizure at home at 3am, then screaming that their head hurts. You freak out and call the hospital, they say to come in ASAP to rule out meningitis caused as a result of low immune system from chemo.

Are you going to wait for the bus? Really?

PlaneSpeeking

Moomintroll99 wrote: »

Cancer is a fantastic cure for obesity in children, trust me.

I think you are conflating the long term health issue of 'how all the people get to work & school every day' with the short term health issue of 'how the unfortunate few very sick people get to life saving care'. I totally agree that there should be a less car centric society, with accessible bike paths, pedestrian friendly walkways, and penalties for taking unnecessary car journeys. That would be better for everyone's health. But some of us are still going to be those unfortunate few hearing bad news about random illnesses.

As stated before, a car gives sick children and adults the ability to:

- avoid life threatening infections from other users while getting to and from treatment
- access care at inconvenient times
- preserve dignity for the sick - avoid some of the 'Mammy, why does that boy have no hair?' type comments people make.
- let people from rural and remote areas access highly centralised services
- carry all the stuff - illness means a lot of bags of clothes/medications/equipment etc
- protect other public transport users from things like getting vomited on etc. Some of the sights associated with my son's treatment have been very, very confronting even for me as his parent. I just do not think commuters on a Luas really need to see some skeletal child having a fit or being completely incontinent or screaming in pain etc before getting in to their work.

For example, imagine your (definitely not obese) child with cancer wakes up having a seizure at home at 3am, then screaming that their head hurts. You freak out and call the hospital, they say to come in ASAP to rule out meningitis caused as a result of low immune system from chemo.

Are you going to wait for the bus? Really?

Shame this can only be thanked once - the vehemently anti car militia need to be shamed into seeing reason it seems.

iamwhoiam

Moomintroll99 wrote: »

Cancer is a fantastic cure for obesity in children, trust me.

I think you are conflating the long term health issue of 'how all the people get to work & school every day' with the short term health issue of 'how the unfortunate few very sick people get to life saving care'. I totally agree that there should be a less car centric society, with accessible bike paths, pedestrian friendly walkways, and penalties for taking unnecessary car journeys. That would be better for everyone's health. But some of us are still going to be those unfortunate few hearing bad news about random illnesses.

As stated before, a car gives sick children and adults the ability to:

- avoid life threatening infections from other users while getting to and from treatment
- access care at inconvenient times
- preserve dignity for the sick - avoid some of the 'Mammy, why does that boy have no hair?' type comments people make.
- let people from rural and remote areas access highly centralised services
- carry all the stuff - illness means a lot of bags of clothes/medications/equipment etc
- protect other public transport users from things like getting vomited on etc. Some of the sights associated with my son's treatment have been very, very confronting even for me as his parent. I just do not think commuters on a Luas really need to see some skeletal child having a fit or being completely incontinent or screaming in pain etc before getting in to their work.

For example, imagine your (definitely not obese) child with cancer wakes up having a seizure at home at 3am, then screaming that their head hurts. You freak out and call the hospital, they say to come in ASAP to rule out meningitis caused as a result of low immune system from chemo.

Are you going to wait for the bus? Really?

Yes , absolutely agree with you . And I posted before children with multiple special needs and catheters and long lines, Hickman lines , feeding tubes , tracheostomies etc should not be expected to travel via public transport .Personally I think on a case to case basis these parents should be given free parking to at least ease the burden in some small way


PS ( I hope you saw my post past night explaining that you had misunderstood my point )

beauf

Sick people being lazy apparently.

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

There has to be a fair system for all. Absolutely do not agree with medical card holders receiving free parking. Like I mentioned earlier on the thread, on his first day in oncology my dad and I were given a parking pass. €5 euro for a pre loaded 5 journeys except the journey was never debited so essentially all we paid for almost a year of parking was 5 euro.

Every oncology patient received one. There wouldn’t be any chance I’d put my already immune compromised parent on public transport after three days of having poison pumped into him. Absolutely not.

I think people going to outpatients can suck it up and pay for their days parking, or park in a public cheaper carpark and walk a short distance to the hospital. I know in my town there’s a few spots of all day parking for approx 2 euro that’s not even a ten min walk from the hospital.

There should most certainly be a more realistic solution for parents of extremely sick children and people undergoing long term treatment. A once off trip to a+e, an outpatients app, etc. suck it up.

PlaneSpeeking

Quinton Modern Stepfather wrote: »

There has to be a fair system for all. Absolutely do not agree with medical card holders receiving free parking. Like I mentioned earlier on the thread, on his first day in oncology my dad and I were given a parking pass. €5 euro for a pre loaded 5 journeys except the journey was never debited so essentially all we paid for almost a year of parking was 5 euro.

Every oncology patient received one. There wouldn’t be any chance I’d put my already immune compromised parent on public transport after three days of having poison pumped into him. Absolutely not.

I think people going to outpatients can suck it up and pay for their days parking, or park in a public cheaper carpark and walk a short distance to the hospital. I know in my town there’s a few spots of all day parking for approx 2 euro that’s not even a ten min walk from the hospital.

There should most certainly be a more realistic solution for parents of extremely sick children and people undergoing long term treatment. A once off trip to a+e, an outpatients app, etc. suck it up.

Fair point - I've visited both Tullamore and Portlaoise hospitals in the last year or so and both are transport accessible, the Dublin based ones more so.

In my opinion it's very much the patient condition that should be the decider - as we all know, medical card holders don't always come from the poorest elements of society.

weldoninhio

beauf wrote: »

So you have a problem with visitors and family going to the hospital unless they are sick themselves??

Want a hand with those goalposts??

45 minutes on public transport to visit someone is hardly the end of the world now is it??

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

weldoninhio wrote: »

Want a hand with those goalposts??

45 minutes on public transport to visit someone is hardly the end of the world now is it??

It would be nice if 45 minutes on public transport, each way, took us to any of the major hospitals. Some of us are a twenty minute drive to the nearest public transport, before we then head for the hospital.

beauf

I think if hotels can validate parking I don't see why they can't have the same in hospitals.

You could make it automated. A patient no generates a parking pass, doesn't have to be free, but it reduced fee anyway. Gets sent to your phone, you register a car against it.

That how it works at train stations.