I am an NHS community nurse working in London, and like many of my colleagues across the UK, I provide critical care to patients in their homes — some recovering after hospital discharge, some with life-limiting conditions, and many who would otherwise be unable to access healthcare at all.

While carrying out these urgent visits, I — and many others like me — have been issued multiple Penalty Charge Notices  despite:

Clearly displaying NHS/emergency health badges
Visiting vulnerable patients who rely on our care
Parking only for a few minutes in heavily congested, restricted zones with no other options
Being unable to update our Public Service Permits quickly due to administrative delays
In my case, I received five PCNs in Tower Hamlets, totalling hundreds of pounds. I was even told my vehicle was marked as an “evader”—a deeply unfair and inaccurate label for someone performing vital public service.

The statutory 5-minute grace period was not applied, and the borough has failed to support healthcare workers who are risking fines just to fulfil their duty.

We are not evaders. We are carers.

This issue affects thousands of NHS staff across the country. We deserve the same level of parking protection afforded to police and ambulance staff while responding to emergencies.

Please sign this petition to support community nurses and ensure we can continue to serve patients without fear of punishment.

We are asking the following authorities to act:

✅  Council: Cancel unjust PCNs and stop flagging healthcare workers’ vehicles as “evaders”
✅ Mayor : Introduce borough-wide protections for NHS staff
✅ Department for Transport: Establish national guidance to protect all community health professionals from fines during duty