A nationwide petition has been launched after staff at Royal Oldham Hospital said they started receiving fines for parking at the hospital.

A nurse said she finished her shift last December to discover her car had been plastered with a yellow penalty notice without warning.

She had parked in the dedicated staff car park, which is labelled 'NHS staff only', and several of her colleagues have also been caught out.

The problem emerged as staff claim they are suddenly being denied an NHS parking permit, which are provided by The Northern Care Alliance.

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The permits range in price from £262.32 up to £795, depending on the employees' salary band and weekly working hours.

The nurse, who has worked at Royal Oldham for seven years, said she struggled to obtain a permit as the Northern Care Alliance has "met their quota".

She added: "It's absolutely ridiculous.

"I can't afford to pay parking tickets and neither can my colleagues."

Another community nurse who works at the hospital also told The Oldham Times he has been unable to get a permit.

He said: "I need my car, not only to get to work but also to perform my duties in the community.

"I regularly carry drugs and confidential documents between the hospital and my community destinations.

"Guess what?

"Permit application declined!"

The £70 fine is reduced to £35 when paid within 14 days, however, the nurse said she attempted to appeal the decision and has been unsuccesful.

When visited by The Oldham Times, a ticket enforcement officer could be seen checking cars and one parked vehicle had been hit.

Two staff members in the car park said enforcement had ramped up recently and said they were "lucky" to get a permit.

Now, a petition has been launched which calls upon hospital managers, local authorities and the Government to grant free car park access within hospital grounds for all NHS staff.

The petition reveals the cost of a permit costs more than £500 a year for most, "an amount that would be deducted from our wages which are already significantly below inflation".

It adds: "This situation is not unique to us but affects thousands of NHS staff across the country.

"NHS staff work tirelessly to provide care and support for patients, often working long hours under stressful conditions.

"It's unjust that on top of this demanding job, we also have to contend with the additional financial burden and stress of paying expensive parking fees or risk getting fined.

"The private companies who are managing these carparks are sending letters to those who cannot afford the fine threatening to take them to court."

At the time of writing, the petition has gained more than 500 signatures, many from former and existing NHS staff who have described the recent penalty charges as a "disgrace".

The nurse who works in Oldham's hospital pointed out colleagues in Scotland and Wales receive free parking and is hoping to see the measure rolled out across England.

She added: "To leave work at the end of a 12-hour shift, sometimes longer, to a parking ticket is completely unacceptable.

"It makes us feel dejected and unappreciated. 

"They weren’t ticketing cars when the public were clapping for NHS staff during the pandemic.

"The trust say they have met their quota of permits so how is it that I am able to park with ease before my shift?

"Where are all the permit holders then?"

The petition also describes the move as "not only unfair but also demoralising for those who dedicate their lives to belong others".

Signatories include one carer who said she had a permit for 14 years but now can no longer get one after the company "reached their quota".

A band two nurse said: "I'm on minimum wage, every penny helps.

"Disgrace to be charged at all - most of the public park for free. The staff are always penalised."

Another retired nurse added: "I've always thought it criminal to charge NHS staff to park at work."

A woman whose son works as a nurse in the NHS added: "It's a disgrace - my son pays monthly fees. It's not fair."

Other members of the public agreed, calling it a "national scandal" and "outrageous".

One comment read: "To be able to start work stress-free, without the hassle of looking for a parking space, should be the right awarded to all NHS staff".

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “We will always support hardworking NHS staff and have delivered on our commitment to provide free hospital car parking in England for those most in need.

“As of October 2022, all trusts that charge for car parking have fully implemented this commitment.

"This is the first time that free hospital car parking in England has been made available to those who need it the most.”

The Northern Care Alliance has also been contacted for comment. 

Got a health story or a concern? Email me Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk or send me a message on Twitter @Livbridge