PATIENTS are fuming after being issued with parking fines following visits to their surgery in Stroud.

The new rules at Beeches Green Surgery and neighbouring Stroud Valleys Family Practice came into force in April to tackle those misusing the car park.

This week, the SNJ received several calls from patients who were stunned when they received fines in the post.

The £60 parking tickets escalate to £100 if it not paid within two weeks.

One patient, a 91-year-old woman who used the disabled parking bays, has been issued with two tickets.

She was first penalised after visiting for a blood pressure test and received the second fine when she collected the results.

Now her son Chris Moore is appealing to get the tickets revoked.

“My mum was in tears,” he said.

“She’s been a patient at the surgery for over 60 years and deserves to be treated better.”

Parking remains free for patients but they must enter their registration number into a touchscreen in the reception area at each surgery.

However many patients, including people with dementia, disabilities and bad eyesight, have been entering their vehicle numbers incorrectly or forgetting to type them into the machine.

Others, including Mr Moore’s mother, have not noticed the new signs which explain the rules.

One angry motorist told the SNJ that at least 60 patients had complained after receiving fines.

Managers insist there is adequate signage explaining the new system and that patients are given advice at reception.

After being contacted by the SNJ, one fine was refunded while two tickets were scrapped by ParkingEye, the company which manages parking on the site.

Paul Mahoney, 54, claimed he had entered his number but still received a fine.

He paid the money, fearing it would rise to £100.

ParkingEye insisted that the number had not been entered but the fine was refunded on request of Beeches Green Surgery.

“When you go to the doctor you don’t need this worry,” said Mr Mahoney, who is due to have knee replacement surgery.

Francis and Janet Freeman, who are both in their 80s, had two tickets quashed after entering incorrect vehicle numbers.

After being contacted by the SNJ, practice managers Sarah Bryant of Beeches Green and Hilary French of Stroud Valleys issued a joint statement in response to the outcry.

They said: “The landlords of the building, NHS Property Services Ltd, commissioned ParkingEye to install a car park management system.

“The car park is well signposted informing patients which section they should park in and both surgeries have posters and signs on display.

“Staff inform patients when they check in to ensure they have parked appropriately and have entered their registration details.

“The practices do not own the car park, nor do they profit from any charges.

“The landlord has commissioned the car park management system as a direct result of patient complaints and concerns regarding the level of parking on site.

“Whilst it is acknowledged that there have been teething problems, the new car parking system has improved access and reduced misuse.”

A spokesman for NHS Property Services said: “As a result of the inappropriate use of parking spaces the car park has been divided into two sections - one for users of the health centre and a pay and display area for general use for patients.”

Another motorist, Michael Morris, 54, received a ticket after visiting Redwood House Dental Clinic, which is also on the site.

Patients for the dental practice must use the pay and display car park.

Unaware of the changes, Mr Morris parked in the health centre car park, which led to the fine.

Richard Barrett’s 70-year-old wife, who parked in the health centre car park instead of the pay and display one while attending a mobile breast screening unit, also received a £60 fine.

“It’s outrageous and I am going to appeal,” said Mr Barrett, from Stroud.

Further problems have been caused because the pay and display machine has not been working for at least three weeks.

The pay and display car park is also owned by NHS property services and managed by ParkingEye.

  • If you have parked in the patient and staff car park at the health centre and registered your vehicle through the monitors and were still fined, you can contact Parking Eye on 01772 450970 to appeal.