Parking exemptions and permits

Who qualifies for an exemption or permit?

Patient and visitor charges, exemptions and reductions

We offer reductions and exemptions to car parking charges for some categories of carers, visitors and patients.

If you think you may qualify for a permit, please ask the Sister/Ward Manager of the ward or department you are attending or visiting. If they agree that you are eligible to have a permit, they will complete the relevant form. You will then need to take this form to either the Parking Shop outside the ‘pillars’ entrance at Cheltenham General Hospital or the Parking Shop on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. You will then be given a permit.

Concessionary and Exemption tickets are restricted to usage within the Pay on Foot Car Parks only. Only those receiving treatment in Cotswold Or Severn Dialysis will be given a permit to display in their window within the designated Dialysis Car Parks, patients receiving treatment at the Oncology Unit at CGH will be issued a permit to display in their window within the designated Oncology Car Park.

Exemption from parking charges applies in individual cases where:

• Parents staying overnight with children on children’s wards
• Outpatients having dialysis; oncology patients having radiotherapy, chemotherapy or regular blood transfusions
• A Trust Carer's Passport is held

Weekly or Fortnightly Parking Permits

A reduction in parking charges takes the form of a parking permit for 1 week or 2 weeks. A reduction will be considered by the sister/ward manager in each individual case and may be offered where:

• The patient has been an in-patient for 14 days or more
• The patient has been an in-patient in the Department of Critical Care (DCC) for more than 3 days
• The patient has been an in-patient for 3 days and has been diagnosed as terminally ill
• The patient has been an in-patient in Neo-natal/Special Care for more than 3 days
• The patient is required to visit the Outpatients Department for a number of appointments in 1 week.

This will be at a cost of £20 for the weekly and £40 for the fortnightly permit which is non-refundable.

If you are a carer you may be eligible for a Carer's Passport which offers free parking and other benefits.

Reductions in travel costs

If you are in receipt of benefits, you may be eligible for a refund of your travel costs. Claim forms HC5(T) and HC1 can be downloaded on the NHS Choices website and copies are available inside the ‘pillars’ entrance at Cheltenham General hospital or at the Tower Block Reception desk at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital. Your travel costs claim form must be posted to the address on the form within 3 months of your hospital appointment. A leaflet on travel cost claims ‘Help with travel costs’ can also be found on the NHS Choices website.

Your refund will be worked out using the cheapest mode of public transport. Any costs over this will not be refunded, including additional charges for the Voluntary Car Service. Receipts must be enclosed with any claim you make. If you need to travel by taxi, you will need a letter from your doctor or clinician on official paper to explain that you have no other way of travelling. If you wish to reclaim the cost of a carer, you will also need written authorisation from your doctor or clinician.

Exceptions to this scheme include:

• Emergency Department (A&E) visits are not covered, unless needed for a condition you already have
• Visiting – you may be able to apply for a loan or grant through your local Jobcentre Plus Office

I am disabled – do I have to pay for parking?

Disabled users may park free in accessible spaces across the two hospital sites and, where these designated disabled spaces are not available, blue badge holders attending the hospital for the purposes of attending an appointment or supporting/visiting patient receiving medical care on site, may park in other parking spaces on site for the duration of their visit to the hospital without charge, but must display their up to date disabled parking permit. Please note the permit holder should be the driver or the passenger of the vehicle.

The hospital sites have a large number of accessible spaces available throughout the patient and visitor car parks, but as you are aware from your blue badge handbook, the rules governing private land enable charges to be levied to all users parked on private land. Please note that failure to observe this ruling will result in a Parking Charge Notice being issued to your vehicle.

Useful documents

Take a look at our parking provider's Terms & Conditions