I have been fortunate in that the issues surrounding the cost and availability of car parking at the NNUH have largely passed me by, apart from the occasional visit, when I am happy to pay reasonable charges.

This has recently changed in that my wife is seriously ill and I am making frequent and lengthy visits to see her and will be doing so for the foreseeable future.

The hospital rightly have arrangements to reduce the substantial parking costs incurred in these circumstances, but they do not apply in the large 'private' car park on the edge of the site (which is often the only car park with spaces) and nor are the usual widely available 'Blue Badge' arrangements in place there.

One might reasonably expect parking policies to be consistent across all car parks at the hospital, irrespective of what the actual policies are.

If this is an oversight in the negotiations with the private contractor running the car park it needs to be put right, with equal concessionary treatment of users in all car parks introduced, whether they are directly controlled by the trust or by a private company under contract.

If it is a case of naive NHS managers being outsmarted by a private company maximising profits, it is not reassuring when private contractors are used in many parts of the wider service and may be following similar 'hard nosed' tactics enhancing their profits at public expense.

In the wider picture this is a minor issue, but is it further evidence that the managers running the services are not of the same quality as the superb medical and support staff on the 'front line'.

David Jones, Low Road, Lower Tasburgh.