Nurse slapped with 5,500 worth of fines for parking in hospital car park while she saved lives

A NURSE has been hit with £5,500 in parking fines - given while she works in the hospital saving the lives of seriously ill children.

Paediatric nurse Vicky Slayford, 38, has received over 80 parking tickets at Croydon University Hospital, and says she lives in fear of being dragged through the courts for the fines, even though she has a staff permit.

The single mum told the Mirror: "Most of the fines are because I had to work late and stay with a patient.

"It's incredible we have to go through this when we're trying to do our job and save lives.

Vicky works three 12.5 hours shifts a week, but says often there are never any free spaces to park when she arrives ready to start her shift.

As she often finishes work in the early hours, she cannot use public transport, and instead uses her staff permit, known as a scratchcard, to park, but finds there are a limited number of staff spaces.

She said: "When there are spaces available they are public spaces and I can't afford to pay £15 a day.

"When I’ve not been able to find a staff bay or a space on the roads outside the hospital, I’ve left a note on my scratchcard saying, ‘Really sorry, please do not fine me, call me on this number as there is nowhere to park’.

“Then I finish at 2am and see I’ve got a fine.”

Fines start at £25, but if not paid, rapidly rise to up to £100.

Doctor Paul Robinson, who works at the hospital's A&E department, tweeted of his fury yesterday when he returned from a night shift to see a parking warden dish out ten tickets.

He said he was "wholly disgusted" to see "a guy in a jacket making money for Empark as I finish my night shift from hell."

Croydon Health Services NHS Trust said: "We are a busy hospital, and work hard to make sure our parking is fair. We offer concessions for patients, including those who require regular hospital visits, and designated areas for staff.

"Wardens will only ticket those cars that have stayed over their allotted time.

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"If any patient or member of staff feels they have been ticketed unfairly, we offer the chance to appeal."

Nearly 150 hospitals have upped car park fees, despite government pleas not to.

And last year hospital bosses made an extra 32 per cent in parking fines, making a record £175 million.

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