Parking charges have been brought back for staff at a Norfolk hospital despite 1,500 signing a petition against the move.

NHS trusts across the country stopped charging workers during the Covid pandemic in 2020.

Many have since reinstated them, with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn following suit this week.

Fees range from £5 a month for healthcare assistants and cleaning staff, rising to £22 for an experienced nurse, up to a maximum of £35 for those earning £114,949 or more.

Health union Unison claimed the deduction would leave some workers on less than the minimum wage - a claim denied by the hospital.

READ MORE: Parking fees at hospitals soar by 50pc in a year

Unison branch secretary Sharon Howlett said: “Many NHS staff are really struggling to get by, the last thing they need is a new charge on coming to work.

“Public transport simply isn’t an option for most workers at QEH, they’ll have no choice but to pay these parking fees.

“QEH should follow the example in Scotland and Wales and do away with parking charges.”

The union launched a petition against reintroducing charges which was signed by more than 1,500 staff after the hospital announced the change last year.

John Syson, director of people at the hospital, said: “We do not pay any staff below minimum wage.

"We have reintroduced car parking charges for staff after pausing them since 2020 and these charges remain at 2019 pricing.

“Any money raised from car parking at the trust goes directly back into patient care and making improvements to our car parks.

"This reintroduction brings us in line with the other acute hospitals in Norfolk and Waveney.

"Members of staff that are in financial difficulty are encouraged to seek support from the trust."

Staff at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital were hit with a 33pc increase in parking charges last year.

The James Paget Hospital at Gorleston brought back parking charges in December.