Qld Government has issued Directives for Hospital and Health Services to set policies to ensure hospital car parking is affordable and accessible! ! Hospital Car Parking – Patient and Carer Car Parking Concessions Policy Statement - The provision of car parking concessions at Queensland Health hospital facilities is intended to improve access and affordability of car parking spaces to eligible patients and their carers in a transparent manner. Purpose Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) must adhere to this Standard when developing and reviewing its local Hospital Car Park Strategy (the Strategy) for each hospital with paid parking it administers. HHSs must adhere to this Standard when developing and reviewing its local Car Parking Concessions Policy and supporting Car Parking Concessions Procedure for each hospital with paid parking it administers. Scope This Standard applies to all HHSs that administer hospitals with paid parking. Compliance with this Standard is mandatory. Objectives The local Strategy and Car Parking Concessions Policy and Procedure are to be consistent with, and advance, the following objectives: 1. Car parking concessions will be available at all existing and new hospitals with paid parking* to ensure eligible patients and their carers have equitable access to clinical services. 2. Car parking concessions will be available to eligible patients and their carers. 3. Car parking concessions will be applied to a range of patients and their carers on the basis of need, and in a user-friendly and transparent manner. Health Service Directive *Where the car park is commercially operated, subject to contract and legal obligations, requirements and negotiations. 4. The car parking concession arrangements will be provided to meet the local service and patient needs at each hospital. 5. Car parking concessions will provide both free and discounted hospital car parking. Requirements Eligibility At minimum, car parking concessions are to be made available to eligible patients and their carers in the following categories: 1. Patients and carers experiencing financial hardship (which may include government concession card holders); 2. Patients and carers who need to attend hospital for an extended period of time; 3. Patients and carers who are required to attend hospital frequently; and 4. Patients and carers with special needs who require assistance. Patient Care The local Hospital Car Park Strategy and local Car Parking Concessions Policy and local Car Parking Concessions Procedure should consider the following factors when allocating car parking spaces for patients with special needs: • Convenient and wheelchair friendly access from a car parking space to the hospital or specialist ward’s main entrance; • Disabled car parking space size requirements (as determined by Australian Standards); and • Railings, footpaths, pedestrian crossings, lighting and other measures to support patient safety and mobility. New Hospital Car Parks Where a new hospital car park is proposed, hospital car park proposals must: 1. Ensure car parks are planned and designed to provide a suitable quantity of concession spaces; 2. Provide concession car parking spaces at appropriate locations within the hospital campus in a manner that is safe, convenient and supportive of patient care and patient need outcomes; and 3. Consider car parking concession allocation/quantities as part of planning. Application This Standard applies to: • All hospital car parking facilities*; • All proposals for new car parking infrastructure, including upgrades or modifications to existing car parking infrastructure; and • The transition of commercial hospital car parks at the cessation of current contracts. *Where an existing commercial hospital car park is operated by an entity other than the HHS (for example by a hospital foundation or, other charity or private enterprise), the HHS is encouraged to negotiate, subject to legal and contractual obligations, car parking concession arrangements in the interests of hospital patients and their carers. Administrative Requirements Each HHS must: 1. Develop a local Hospital Car Parking Concessions Policy for each hospital it administers. The local Hospital Car Parking Concessions Policy is to be consistent with this Standard, and at minimum must: • Define eligible patients and/or outline eligibility criteria; • Outline the types of concession passes and spaces available; and • Clearly state car parking concession rates (if any) for the hospital. 2. Develop a local Hospital Car Parking Concessions Procedure for each hospital it administers. The local Hospital Car Parking Concessions Procedure must outline how a patient or carer can access car parking concessions, including the application process, application timeframes, contact information and any standard forms required to enable a patient or their carer to apply for car parking concessions. In developing the above, the HHS must appropriately consult with relevant consumer groups, patients and carers. Both the local Hospital Car Parking Concessions Policy and local Hospital Car Parking Concessions Procedure must be available on the HHS’s website. Summarised information such as pamphlets, flyers, or signs regarding car parking concessions are to be available at appropriate locations throughout the hospital in a free and easily available manner. This may include at hospital reception and information desks, hospital or ward foyers, at car park entrances, payment stations, and any other relevant clinical and communal areas within the hospital. The HHS must implement a single administrative point to provide oversight and central reporting of all car park concessions issued across hospitals and service areas. Car parking concessions may be approved or issued by specialist areas in the hospital. However, when car parking concessions are issued by specialist areas, the HHS must have appropriate internal administrative processes that advise the single administrative point. The HHS must report annually, as part of its Annual Report, on the number of car parking concession passes issued and the cost of these concessions. Supporting and related documents Authorising Health Service Directive: Hospital Car Parking Provisions #QH-HSD-042:2014 Health Service Directive Guideline – Hospital Car Parking – Provision of Staff Parking Guideline # QH-HSDGDL-042-1:2014 Definitions of terms used in this Standard Refer to the Hospital Car Parking Provisions Health Service Directive for details. Approval and Implementation Guideline Custodian Executive Director, Infrastructure Strategy and Planning Branch Approval by Chief Executive Director-General, Department of Health Approval date: 29 June 2017 Effective from: 1 July 2017 Issued under section 47 of the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 See Also - Hospital Car Parking Health Service Directive Hospital Car Parking - Provision of Staff Parking Policy Statement Queensland Health is committed to offering, where possible, equitable access to car parking for the convenience of staff. Where car parking fees apply, consideration should be given to providing staff fair and affordable car parking fees in Queensland Health owned car park infrastructure. Purpose Hospital and Health Services (HHSs) should follow this Guideline when developing and reviewing its local Hospital Car Park Strategy for each hospital it administers. Hospital and Health Services should follow this Guideline when developing and reviewing its local Staff Car Parking Policy for each hospital it administers. Scope This Guideline applies to all HHSs Objectives Local hospital staff car parking arrangements are to be consistent with, and advance the following objectives: • As a priority, car parking is provided to staff where their safety is at an escalated risk. For example, providing access to appropriately lit and located car parking for staff completing or commencing shifts between 6.00pm and 6.00am (i.e. evening and night shifts); • Staff car parking is provided to meet operational requirements such as provision of car parking for on-call and recalled staff where ready workplace access is required for emergency needs; • General staff car parking manages the operational needs of the hospital and the clinical needs of patients, their carers and visitors. • Operational protocols and fee structures are set at each hospital to ensure that car parking is financially self-sustaining*, with all new car parks considering the staff requirements listed above. *Where commercially operated, subject to contract and legal obligations, requirements and negotiations. Requirements The local Hospital Car Park Strategy and local Staff Car Parking Policy should consider the following factors to effectively respond to local requirements at each hospital, its patient needs, and the surrounding community: • Access to public transport, cycling facilities and other alternative methods of transport and opportunities to improve access to these; • Carpooling options and other arrangements to reduce car parking demand; • Opportunities to change hospital operational arrangements that impact on car parking demand such as staggered shift change over times and scheduling of outpatient appointments; • Arrangements for staff who require multiple same day access to parking to support clinical service delivery (e.g. staff using personal vehicles for home visits); • The local environment surrounding the facility, including safety considerations for patients, their carers, visitors, and staff; • Security arrangements available (e.g. security escorts, alarm systems, lighting and proximity to hospital and ward entrances/exits); • Opportunities to implement parking arrangements in surrounding streets in conjunction with the local council to support hospital car parking arrangements (e.g. provision of shuttle bus services); and • Staff recruitment, retention and satisfaction. New Hospital Car Parks Where a new hospital car park is proposed, hospital car park proposals should: 1. Consider staff requirements in line with the objectives outlined in this guideline; and 2. Where relevant, set fair and affordable maximum tariffs for staff as part of the funding and financial modelling during the planning phases for the new car park. Application This Guideline applies to: • All hospital car parking facilities; and • All proposals for new car parking infrastructure, including upgrades or modifications to existing car parking infrastructure. Administrative Requirements Each HHS should: 1. Develop a local Staff Parking Policy for each hospital it administers. The local Staff Car Parking Policy should be consistent with the intent of this Guideline. In developing the above, the HHS should appropriately consult with hospital employeesand/or employee representatives, for example, through the local Hospital and Health Service Consultative Forum. The Staff Parking Policy and any associated procedures should be available on the HHS’s intranet. Where hospitals operate paid parking facilities The Staff Parking Policy and/or any procedures should consider: • Mechanisms for staff car park payments, which may be through salary deductions for passes which are charged irrespective of use, or alternatively on a pay per entry mechanism. Where a staff pass scheme is implemented, Hospital and Health Services should develop guidelines which include: o An explanation of the process under which the Hospital and Health Service will allocate and issue staff passes. This should address initial distribution (allocation for at risk staff, ballot, prioritisation based on role, etc.); ongoing allocation as passes become available; and regular reviews of allocations to ensure consistency with the principles for allocation; • Provisions for free, subsidised or discounted car parking for certain staff cohorts such as: o staff where their safety is at an escalated risk; o fleet vehicles; o maintenance contractors, vehicles using the loading dock, ambulances and other emergency services vehicles; • Frequency and mechanism for amendments to car parking fees e.g. annual CPI review, or enable more frequent changes to improve car park operation management; and • Impact of any change on current car park operator contractual arrangements in place. Supporting and related documents Authorising Health Service Directive: Hospital Car Parking Provisions #QH-HSD-042:2014 Definitions of terms used in this Guideline Refer to the Hospital Car Parking Provisions Health Service Directive for details. Approval and Implementation Guideline Custodian Chief Health Infrastructure Officer, Infrastructure Strategy and Planning Branch Approval by Chief Executive Director-General, Department of Health Approval date: 29 June 2017 Effective from 1 July 2017 Issued under section 47 of the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011