Many NHS staff in England and Northern Ireland have to pay to park at work, despite it being free in Scotland and Wales. 

Due to the nature of healthcare work (night shifts, weekend/bank holiday cover, late finishing times etc), driving is often the only plausible and safe way to commute to and from a hospital. 

Not only is charging some NHS staff and not others to park unfair, there is no guarantee of a parking space even when you pay for a permit. 

The NHS has a chronic, significant and worsening shortage of permanent staff. Workforce morale is low and burnout is high, especially post-pandemic. Charging staff to park at work only perpetuates these significant problems. 

There is no doubt that demand for healthcare will continue to increase as the UK population ages. With finite resources, it's in our collective interest to ensure that our health service survives. The workforce is the backbone of the NHS and must be supported.