The Department of Health consulted on the Re-introduction of Hospital Parking Charges as a way to raise revenue.  Siobhán drafted a consultation response outlining that women have been disproportionately impacted by welfare reform/austerity policies, the Covid19 pandemic and now the Cost of Living Crisis.  This means that many are struggling to afford the essentials of life including food and heat and therefore they would be unable to pay any additional charges.  The response outlined the fact that women are more likely to work in the health service, more likely to be carers and more likely to be in receipt of social security benefits and in poverty so the re-introduction of these charges would be much more likely to impact on them.

You can read the full response to this consultation on the Consortium’s website here.