Gold Coast University Hospital car parking nightmare sparks debate about staff or patient priority

Some frustrated patients say demand is out of control for parking at Gold Coast University Hospital as debate rages about who should get priority – staff or patients? Full story

It’s a code red emergency at the Gold Coast University Hospital.

But this crisis is not about ambulance ramping, it’s not about waiting times … it’s about parking.

When the GCUH was first opened a decade ago, patients and staff alike couldn’t believe their good fortune when it came to the facilities for cars.

Whereas the old hospital in Southport had a few dozen spots in the centre of Nerang-Southport Road, the new hospital featured a parking garage with more than 2200 undercover car parks.

Cars queueing outside Gold Coast University Hospital car park. Picture Glenn Hampson

It was like all our car Christmases came at once; alas, the joy was short-lived.

From premium parking rates to rapidly dwindling supply of spots, it wasn’t long before the crunch for car parks felt as bad as the old days.

But now, thanks to the booming Gold Coast population, we’ve reached next level trauma.

To be clear, the garage is managed by Point Parking, not GCUH, Gold Coast Health or Queensland Health, but those entities do work together to strategise and troubleshoot any parking issues.

And it looks like they might have to put their heads together for this one, because patients have lost their patience.

One Gold Coast resident has suggested starting a petition to fix the parking problem.

“The car park is full of staff members’ cars and staff are prioritised over patients,” the resident said.

“Able-bodied staff should be parking at Park N Ride at Parkwood Tram station then getting the tram one stop to the hospital station. I understand that this would not work for those on call but a certain number of staff car parks could be kept available for those on call and the rest left for patients.

“People visiting the hospital are often acutely sick, elderly, chronically ill or have young children and they need to be prioritised over able-bodied staff members.

“Millions of people catch public transport to work every day, and we are lucky to have that option here. The car park at Parkwood is all but empty.”

It seems a viable strategy, but it does beg the question of just what the parking policy should be at our public hospitals?

A Gold Coast Health spokesperson said they were working closely with Point Parking to improve the flow of traffic in and out of the carpark.

“We acknowledge the demand for car spaces increases during peak periods, and where possible, the use of public transport is encouraged across our workforce and in the community.

“We continue to assess all available solutions to ease pressure, including implementing staff overflow parking.”

One resident has suggested “able-bodied” people use public transport to get to hospital rather than driving there. Picture: Jerad Williams

A representative from Point Parking said they could not state the number of parks reserved for hospital staff, but that they were specifically for employees who ‘salary sacrificed’ for the spot.

But on social media, a resident, who said they were an employee at the hospital, agreed staff were prioritised over patients when it came to parking.

“Unfortunately they don’t have enough staff parking and if they do you have to apply for it and only a selected amount of people actually get it. So you’ve got at least 100 staff members parking in the staff and visitor parking. Also, if you go close to changeover of staff they make staff a priority,” they said.

Meanwhile, past patients detailed the literal pain they endured while trying to find a park before treatment at the hospital:

“I see the elderly driving around for so long to find parks, and recently had to park like 2km away and walk my 39 weeks pregnant self and my toddler all the way there for an appointment. It’s not good enough.”

“I’m recently an above-knee amputee, I’m in a wheelchair and had many other critical injuries in my accident. I often have my two and four year old with me and it’s just bonkers (to get a park).”

Jason Parker and other family members feared they would miss saying goodbye to his dying father because they could not get into the car park. Jason is a double amputee. Picture Glenn Hampson

“I had so many appointments heavily pregnant with minor complications and I walked every time from Southport Sharks waddling in pain and breathless. Whilst I was staying in I had a direct view of the carpark. The attendant would allow all staff entry at any given time while the public queue would be back past the lights and only allowing one or two cars in every five to 10 mins.”

Other residents detailed the creative ways they have tried to find a viable parking spot.

One parent said they take their children to Robina Hospital, even though it doesn’t have a paediatric ward.

“They can get assessed there and if they need to be admitted, they arrange transport to GCUH,” they said.

While another gave advice of where not to park: “Just don’t park across the road like I did, cause I got a ticket. Oops not my fault, there was literally no other park … and I was going into labour.”

Whether it’s a matter that patients should be prioritised over staff or vice versa, it’s clear there is only one cure we need.

We’re going to need a bigger garage.

Originally published as Gold Coast University Hospital car parking nightmare sparks debate about staff or patient priority