Civilized Society

Note to my Editor, John Van Horn: Regarding the UK healthcare debate blog from August 3, I understand that there is no such thing as free parking. Someone has to pay. The question is always: who? I agree that is usually the user's responsibility, but in the case of healthcare, I suggest that should not always apply.

You use the argument that if 1,000 people use the hospital but only 100 park, then it is not fair because the thousand are paying for the hundred to park. Although that applies to most parking situations, I do not think that model applies to a universal healthcare environment such as the UK, because the thousand are not paying directly for the hospital services. They are paying through their taxes, just like every other UK citizen.

If allowing people to get free parking at the hospital is unfair, then so is the entire UK healthcare system, which works exactly the same way - everyone in the country is paying for the healthcare system but only a certain percentage are taking full advantage of the services. In my opinion, this is the mark of a civilized society, although I realize there are many problems with universal healthcare – that is another debate.

But if one accepts the validity of the universal healthcare concept, the parking could be considered part of the package. In this particular case, if the entire country is paying for people with illnesses to get free healthcare, as a matter of social responsibility, why can't they spring for the parking as well?

Pete Goldin

Comments

[Paul Barter]

I am with JVH and the BPA on this one.

Here is another way to think about it. What is the core 'mission' of the NHS? Surely the purpose of the NHS is health and medicine, not transport and certainly not parking.

Providing a travel allowance to a small proportion of clients, such as chronically ill patients and their carers, can be justified as in line with the mission. Some of the recipients would use such an allowance to help with their parking costs, if they drive.

However, providing free-of-charge parking for all visitors and all staff at hospitals, paid for from the NHS budget, seems to me to be way outside the mission and a misuse of taxpayer's money. After all, NHS does not pay for anyone's bus tickets or taxi fares does it?