THE trust which runs Basingstoke hospital is one of dozens to be accused of "taxing sick people" by earning more than £1million a year from car-parking fees.

A Freedom of Information request from the Press Association revealed that more than half of NHS hospital trusts in England that responded were making at least £1m a year, while seven earned more than £3m and a further eight made more than £2m.

Hampshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT), which runs Basingstoke, Andover and Winchester hospitals, was one of 32 to earn between £1m and £2m last year, raking in £1.2m.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust was one of those earning more than £3m in 2014/15, generating the highest income from car parking charges in the whole country at £3.87m.

The investigation also showed that almost half of all trusts charged disabled people for parking in some or all of their disabled spaces.

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, labelled the charges as "morally wrong".

She added: "We are concerned that hospitals in England still charge patients for car parking. Why is it that patients in Wales and Scotland do not have to pay to park? It is a postcode lottery and a tax on sick people who sometimes struggle to pay.

"The money is never reinvested in frontline services. Hospital car parks are often managed by private contractors who take a huge percentage of the profits. This is morally wrong - and charging disabled people is a disgrace."

HHFT car parks are not managed by private contractors, and the trust does not charge for disabled parking.

Mary Edwards, chief executive of the HHFT, said: "The income we receive from parking charges at our three hospitals is spent on maintaining the car parks for patients, visitors and staff, for example, lighting, security and repairs. If we did not charge, these costs would need to be met from funds intended for patient care, which is where any surplus is reinvested."

Basingstoke hospital car parking charges are £1 for an hour, £3 for one to four hours and £6 for over four hours.

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