PARKING AT NEW TWEED VALLEY HOSPITAL WILL BE FREE
By Sarah Waters
Patients, staff and visitors will not have to pay for parking at the new Tweed Valley Hospital which is due to open early next year.
Last Wednesday, NSW Minister for Regional Health Ryan Park announced from August 1 there will be free parking at hospitals and health facilities across regional NSW.
The long-awaited news was made at the hospital site in Cudgen where Mr Park was joined by Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot and Health Services Union Secretary Gerard Hayes.
Mr Park said the change would make a big difference to patients, their families and carers.
“Free parking has now been extended to regional hospitals, including here at the Tweed, Coffs Harbour, Lismore, Maitland, Belmont and Shoalhaven,” Mr Park said.
“I’m pleased to be making this announcement here at the new Tweed Valley Hospital, where residents have been vocal about the need for free parking.
“We’re committed to improving access and delivering high-quality health care to our rural, regional and remote communities.”
Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin has been a longstanding advocate for free parking at health facilities.
Ms Saffin said she was determined to deliver free parking for her community in Lismore and was pleased that now extended to hospitals and health facilities across regional NSW.
“With the rollout of the free parking initiative across regional health facilities, we’re easing the financial burden on patients and visitors to our hospitals,” she said.
“The initiative is designed to make hospital access more seamless for regional, rural and remote communities who are faced with unique geographical challenges when accessing healthcare.”
NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park
Federal Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said hospital visits could be a challenging time for patients and their families and free parking made a big difference.
“In regional areas driving is often the only option to get home from the hospital for patients, staff and visitors,” Ms Elliot said.
At a recent Tweed Shire Council meeting councillor James Owen and councillor Rhiannon Brinsmead moved a motion to get confirmation from state ministers that promises of free parking at regional health facilities would be upheld.
Tweed State member Geoff Provest has also advocated strongly for free parking.
The $723.3 million Tweed Valley Hospital is one of the largest infrastructure projects in Northern NSW.
Visitors to the new Tweed Valley Hospital will fare better than Queensland residents across the border who pay up to $17 a day to visit Gold Coast University Hospital.
For more Tweed Shire news, click here.