Cashless parking coming to community hospitals in Bucks

But a new system being brought in at all five community hospitals in Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust's territory may help to make things a little easier.

A cashless system, in which visitors or patients can pay via a mobile phone app will, organisers say, allow people to visit loved ones for longer and without disturbance, and take the stress out of a wait for an appointment when the car is on the meter.

The hospitals that will receive the new PayByPhone system are Buckingham Community Hospital, Amersham Hospital, Chalfont and Gerrard’s Cross Community Hospital, Marlow Community Hospital and Thame NHS Community Hospital.

It has not yet been announced whether the scheme will be rolled out across the trusts larger hospitals, which include Stoke Mandeville.

Ali Williams, commercial director at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We are pleased to be working with PayByPhone so that our visitors and staff have the flexibility to pay for their parking in a way that suits them best.”

Visitors can pay for parking through the PayByPhone app on their mobile device, or by calling a telephone number that is displayed on signs in the car park. The Extend-From-Anywhere feature, which allows PayByPhone users to extend their parking sessions remotely, in accordance with the car parks’ terms and conditions, can now also be used with an Apple Watch using watchOS 4 or above. PayByPhone users can also choose to opt-in for text message reminders that alert them before a parking session expires.

Adam Dolphin, sales director for PayByPhone UK, said: “We are so pleased that Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust has chosen to work with PayByPhone. Mobile parking payments have many advantages, particularly at hospitals, where you want your experience to be as hassle-free as possible. And for the NHS Trust, the reduction of vandalism and the cost of maintaining the pay and display machines is an added bonus.”