Gold Coast University Hospital car park: Push for change as Jason Parker reveals his family’s nightmare

A double amputee has revealed the brutal experience his family endured at the clogged Gold Coast University Hospital car park as they dashed to the bedside of his gravely ill father.

A family rushing to be by the bedside of a gravely ill relative at Gold Coast University Hospital feared they would miss his final moments after being forced into a lengthy queue trying to access its car park.

Jason Parker, a double amputee with a disability parking permit, said he, his sister and his elderly mother travelled to the hospital early on Tuesday morning after being told to gather quickly amid fears his father Peter may not have long to live.

Mr Parker said they were left in great distress after pleas for help fell on deaf ears and they were told to line up with other vehicles.

“My father had a catastrophic heart attack late Sunday night and he went down for 20 minutes without a pulse or breathing. He was dead for 20 minutes,” Mr Parker said.

“The ambulance turned up and managed to get him back.

“But when they got him to the hospital, he’d been dead for 20 minutes, and he was critical.”

Following “incredible” work by ambulance workers and the GCUH team, Mr Parker’s father was put on a ventilator and heart pump in the Intensive Care Unit.

Jason Parker outside Gold Coast University Hospital car park. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

On Tuesday morning the family was told their father was being taken off the heart pump and to come to the hospital in case the worst came to pass.

On arrival they drove straight to the car park entrance, but despite explaining their plight, were ordered to the back of a lengthy queue of vehicles.

“My sister was in the car, my mum was in the car and we were going in to tell the staff to basically turn the machines off. And this guy wouldn’t let us in,” Mr Parker said.

“He put a cone there and stood in my way and told me to go to the back of the queue.

“My sister got out of the car and went and spoke to him to his face in a very calm manner and said listen, my brother’s disabled, we have to unload my elderly mother, my father is dying upstairs. For Christ’s sake have a heart and let us in. And the guys says, ‘no, company policy, end of the queue’. Which was about a 30 minute or a 40 minute wait.

“I was furious”.

Mr Parker said that “miraculously” his father pulled through, however remains gravely ill in hospital.

He said that despite contacting car park operator Point Parking and being told by a manager that the matter would be looked into, the family had a similar experience when they returned to the hospital on Wednesday.

Cars queuing outside the Gold Coast University Hospital car park. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Spokesman for Point Parking, Brad Newton, said the company was “very sorry” for what had happened and conceded that queuing was “common” at the GCUH car park.

At 1.20pm on Wednesday the Bulletin witnessed a line of cars trying to enter the car park snaking 350 metres from its Hospital Blvd entrance to the junction of Olsen Ave and Parklands Drive. Signs advising motorists of “limited spaces” and to “expect delays” have been placed along the route.

“We are very sorry that this happened,” Mr Newton said.

“Unfortunately, as everyone knows, the car park gets quite busy at peak times and queuing is common.”

Mr Parker said he was speaking out to encourage change at the car park that would help people at their time of greatest need. He suggested a small number of places may be set aside for families of people nearing the end of their lives.

“This system of money taking, money grabbing, lack of service, compassion, humanity, it has to stop,” he said.

“The government has a responsibility, it owns the site, they should be in partnership somehow. “Car parks should be put aside for ICU patients’ family members, just one per family. Maybe corporate sponsors would want to be involved, provide some car parks in return.

“But something has to be done.”

Mr Parker is calling for processes to be put in place to help families trying to access the hospital at times of distress. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Mr Newton said Point Parking, which operates more than 60 car parks across Australia including five on the Gold Coast, said it was open to exploring options for quicker entry to the GCUH facility, particularly for holders of accessible parking permits.

“The suggestion that a system put in place allowing for designated parking spots and quick entry to the car park for people with accessible parking permits is worthy of further consideration, and we will examine if it is feasible,” he said.

A spokesperson for Gold Coast Health said it was working with Point Parking to improve traffic flow to and from the car park.

“Gold Coast Health understands having a loved one in hospital who is critically ill or injured is deeply distressing,” the spokesperson said.

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

“We continue to work closely with Point Parking to improve the flow of traffic in and out of the car park.”

Mr Parker said that the scale of the parking problems at GCUH meant that the need for change was urgent.

“I don’t know how many people, because they couldn’t get into the car park, would have missed the passing of a relative that unfortunately suffered greatly because (their family) couldn’t see them,” he said.

“Now’s the time to change. That’s why I’m here saying this.”

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