Parking fee relief set to flow for nurses and doctors on the frontline of the COVID-19 fight
Nurses and doctors on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus are set to get parking fee relief in a major boost to morale and their hip pockets. Here’s how much they’re set to save.
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Nurse and doctors on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus are set to get parking fee relief in a major boost to morale and their hip pockets.
Councils have been asked to waive fees around hospital precincts, with the City of Melbourne already calling off parking inspectors to help health workers bravely treating patients.
Talks have also begun between the Andrews Government and private operators of hospital car parks in a bid to get special deals for staff.
The action comes just days after the issue was highlighted in the Herald Sun’s Frontline Heroes campaign as a concern of Victorian health workers.
The ongoing campaign had already seen accommodation for those workers stranded during isolation and free mobile phone coverage from Optus and Vodafone.
Some doctors and nurses are paying hefty parking bills after long drives to work — including many who have shifted from public transport to reduce infection risks.
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation state secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said some nurses relocated to COVID-19 fever clinics “have to continue to pay for carparking they are not able to use just to retain the privilege” and relaxing access and fees would be a big boost.
“Every little bit we can do to remove the stresses on our frontline health workers means they can focus more on taking care of Victorians who need hospital care during this pandemic crisis,” she said.
“We encourage Wilson Parking, Pay Stay, Secure Parking, Ace Parking, Care Park and any other hospital car park operator to make life a little easier for our nurses, midwives and other health professionals and hospital workers while they work on the frontline for all of us.”
One part-time nurse who is charged almost $80 a fortnight for parking in inner Melbourne told the Herald Sun fee relief would particularly undergraduate staff.
“They are coming to the hospital, contributing to patient care at their own cost and health, as well as paying for parking at high visitor rates,” she said.
A City of Melbourne spokeswoman said the council had stopped issuing fines for cars parked next to green signs — although parking in red sign areas such as tow-away clearways was still banned.
“We implore the general public to do the right thing and not take advantage of temporary changes designed to help health care workers,” she said.
Eight hospitals have been told about the changes, including the Royal Children’s Hospital, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Women’s Hospital, and the Alfred Hospital, St Vincent’s hospitals, Peter Mac, and the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital.
“Given these exceptional times, we are using discretion and only issuing fines when vehicles are parked unsafely,” she said.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said with healthcare staff “working around the clock” the government was doing “everything we can to support them as we manage this pandemic”.
“We applaud City of Melbourne and have asked other local councils to do the same to help make it easier for hospital workers,” Ms Mikakos said.
“The Government is also talking with major private parking providers who manage facilities on public hospital campuses, to get better access to carparking for our frontline health workers.”
Major operator Wilsons Parking said it was working closely with organisations that set fees at sites close to hospitals.
“For example, the Royal Women’s Hospital is offering a parking fee discount for all hospital
staff, which came into effect today,” it said in a statement.
Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said newly trained nurses would particularly benefit from a change in policy.
“At a time when our healthcare workers are doing a phenomenal job during the COVID-19 crisis, they don’t need the added pressures of high carparking fees,” she said.
Whitehorse Council also recently introduced new measures, including parking permits for hospitals to provide to weary workers at Eastern Health, Epworth Eastern, Mitcham Private Hospital and the Peter James Centre.
Whitehorse Mayor Sharon Ellis said last week “staff can display permits and park on-street all day around the hospital networks”.
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