A blue P parking sign

Patients and visitors can choose to buy a weekly car parking pass. We also offer free parking in line with national guidance. In addition, some patients may also be eligible for support with car park costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS).

All the information below is on our website: Finding us and car parking - CHFT - which you can use to signpost to patients and visitors.

Weekly car parking pass (£35)

Available from our General Offices at HRI and CRH (during office hours, 08.30 - 16:45). If patients or visitors park out of General Office hours, they can put the cost of their ticket towards a weekly pass by purchasing a weekly pass the next working day. They should pay for parking as normal, keep the receipt, then take the the receipts to the General Office the next working day, when the team will put the amount paid towards the cost of the weekly pass.

Parking exemptions

We offer free parking in line with national guidance. Free parking is available to:

  • Patients attending for chemotherapy who will be issued with an authorisation card
  • Patients attending for renal dialysis who will be issued with an authorisation card
  • Inpatients who have attended clinic or A&E and are unexpectedly kept in hospital
  • Staff from nursing/care homes or next of kin who have been asked to attend the ward to help with the care of their client/patient/relative whilst on the ward.
  • Frequent outpatient attenders: free parking will be provided to all outpatients who attend hospital for an appointment at least three times within a month and for an overall period of at least three months. A ‘month’ is defined as a period of 30 days.
  • Parents of sick children staying overnight: this is for a parent or guardian of a child or young person, under 18 years of age, who is admitted as an inpatient at hospital overnight. They receive free parking between the hours of 7.30pm and 8am while visiting the child. This would apply to a maximum of two vehicles
  • Staff working night shifts: this is for members of staff with a shift starting after 7.30pm and ending before 8am. They receive free parking for the duration of their shift.
  • The next of kin: one relative/ friend for patients in critical care areas such as ICU/HDU, CCU, NICU, Paediatric High Dependency will receive an authorisation form.
  • Terminally ill patients on any area, the next of kin should be issued with an authorisation form allowing them free parking for a maximum of four days then the situation should be re-addressed by the senior nurse.
  • Visiting Consultants from other Trusts who are on Trust business.

A ward / department authorisation form is on the policies and documents library under the Car Parking Policy - please print and complete pages 18 and 19 of the policy

Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS)

Patients referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS). If the patient or their partner is in receipt of any of the following benefits - they may be able to claim for travel costs:

  • Income Support
  • Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Working Tax Credit (WTC) with Child Tax Credit (CTC)
  • WTC with a disability element or a severe disability element
  • CTC but they're not eligible for WTC
  • Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
  • Universal Credit and meet the criteria

Patients can ask for a leaflet at their appointment which explains how to claim. Our General Office can also advise and action reimbursements (following completion of the form).