Scots nurse returns from 13-hour shift to find “nasty” note left on car – all because she’s not allowed to park at the hospital

A SCOTS nurse returned from a 13-hour shift to find a “nasty” note left on her windscreen – as she claims she’s not allowed to park at the hospital.

Jessica Hannah is forced to park on residential streets in Edinburgh whilst at work due to allegedly not being permitted to use the hospital car park, and no other parking measures aiding her.

The 22-year-old ended her shift at the hospital in Edinburgh’s Little France district to find a hostile memo pinned under her windscreen wiper.

Newly-qualified nurse Jessica was left stunned as the note warned her off parking there again – despite her claiming that she was not blocking any driveways or entrances.

An image shows Jessica holding the note, scrawled on blank white paper, which bluntly reads: “You are blocking my entrance to my parking.

“If this situation happens again, the car registration number will be reported to the relevant office with photo documentation.”

NHS Lothian has introduced a number of measures to combat staff parking issues, with car parking permits issued on a points-based system which takes account of a range of eligibility criteria.

These criteria include the distance someone lives from the site, caring responsibilities they may have in their personal life, the shifts they work and any disabilities.

NHS Lothian also grant staff working nightshift at weekends and bank holidays use of the staff car parks regardless of whether they have a permit due to demand for parking being significantly reduced.

Staff are also given access to one of the hospital’s car parks without the need for permits – but only from 11:30am each day.

Jim Crombie, Deputy Chief Executive Officer for NHS Lothian, also sanctioned 250 new parking spaces at the hospital complex.

Despite these measures, Jessica has been left both bemused and frustrated, saying today: “I was on a normal stretch of road, not blocking any driveways.

“I came back from my 13-hour shift to find a nasty note on my windscreen. I don’t know what house did it. I know I wasn’t covering anyone’s drive.

“I have to park ten minutes away from the hospital. I’m not allowed to park my car there even though I’m staff.”

“It’s a public street. They should take it up with the hospital.”

Jessica claimed: “You can’t park in the staff car park unless you have a permit – which you need to live over 30 miles away to qualify for.

“They have wardens standing at the entrance to the car park every morning. They turn me away even with my staff badge.

“If I was to get the bus from the other side of Edinburgh it would add over an hour travel each way to my already 13-hour shift – when am I meant to sleep?

“It already adds more time to my day. It makes my blood boil”.

Jessica alleges: “They built a whole new hospital but no new staff car park.

“Now the permit rule is in place, half the car park sits empty. There’s plenty of space in the visitor’s car park as well.

“Finding that note at the end of my day has just left me so upset. I’m at a complete loss. Where else can I go?

“I wish the hospital would just let us park somewhere. Even if it meant I had to pay for a staff permit, I definitely would.

“It’s such a problem – I wish they’d prioritise sorting it”.

Morag Campbell, Director of Estates and Facilities, NHS Lothian said today: “The staff parking permit scheme at the Little France campus was reintroduced in early 2022 because the site had become seriously congested.

“This posed a danger to staff, patients and visitors and compromised the ability of emergency blue light vehicles to access the hospitals.

“Recognising the increased demand for car park access, we made an additional parking facility available, providing 250 parking spaces and boosting the number of permits we could issue.

“This opened in July 2022.

“We also have a range of other measures to help support staff who would not be eligible for a permit including; providing all staff access to car park 2C from 11.30am each day, without the need for a parking permit; the availability of a fully funded Staff Shuttlebus service between the Little France campus and the Sheriffhall Park and Ride; which is very popular with staff and the reintroduction of the car-share scheme.

“We actively discourage staff from parking in nearby residential areas, recognising the impact this can have on both local residents and businesses.”