Doctors furious over parking fines incurred while on emergency call-outs

DOCTORS in a Cork town are furious they have to cough up for parking tickets while attending emergency call-outs.

Two GPs in Kinsale were recently left stunned when they returned to their vehicles, after treating seriously ill patients, to discover parking fine notices.

The Kinsale Medical Centre has written to town council officials, complaining parking restrictions were putting patients’ lives at risk.

But unimpressed town manager Mary Ryan told the medics they would have to pay parking fees like every other motorist in the town.

She argued two free spaces had already been made available for the surgery — the main one in the town — in which five doctors are employed.

And she insisted cash-strapped Kinsale Town Council couldn’t afford to make an exception by providing free parking for doctors. She said: “I’ve no sympathy for them. They can pay for their spaces. We need the money.”

But she promised to look into providing more designated parking spaces for the medics, provided they cough up the requisite €1.20 per hour.

“I’m sure we’ll come to some arrangement if they’re prepared to pay for it,” she added.

However, the doctors say the council’s stance is compromising patient safety, arguing that local doctors have to respond to all medical emergencies because there’s no ambulance in the town.

In a joint letter written to Mayor Michael Frawley, they said: “We are most concerned about local parking restrictions which will inevitably impact on patient safety. Indeed it may cost lives.

“Kinsale has no emergency ambulance, the nearest being at least 30 to 45 minutes away. The local doctors respond to all medical emergencies. Each emergency requires the attendance of at least one doctor and usually six bags of equipment.

“We have two designated off-street car-parking spaces and urgently need the co-operation of the local town council to allow doctors to park legally, within close proximity of the Medical Centre, displaying ‘Doctor On Call’ signs. We need to do this without fear of being issued with further parking fines.”

A meeting between the doctors and council officials is being organised to help resolve the issue.

Cllr Billy Lynch said it was unacceptable for a doctor out on an emergency call to have to worry about getting a parking ticket.

However, Cllr Noel Harrington said the solution could be for the doctors to text the traffic warden after they have parked their vehicle to avoid being fined.

A proposal to reduce the €1.20 hourly parking cost for doctors was thought to be unworkable, as it would involve changing by-laws.

But council officials are adamant there will be no more free spaces made available to medical staff.

Town clerk Michelle Kelleher said: “They want to be able to park without paying. The town manager is suggesting they could pay for pre-paid spaces.”