The Parking Prankster has heard it reported that ParkingEye have been given 3 months notice to quit at Northumbria NHS.
This is excellent news for patients who have found the system to be confusing, very difficult to use, and very easy to fall foul of.
The Trust should be congratulated in taking note of patient's views. It was no doubt a difficult decision to take to cancel the contract, which will result in a lot of work behind the scenes to come up with a replacement solution in the time allowed.
This time The Prankster hopes that ease of use and fairness will be criteria added to the selection process.
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The Parking Prankster
Putting the fun back into parking
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tick tock , RIP PE
ReplyDeleteNot so sure this is correct - notice comments from 3rd March (here: https://www.nhs.uk/Services/hospitals/ReviewsAndRatings/DefaultView.aspx?id=1750), scroll down slightly to read this response:-
ReplyDeleteIt is also important to let you know that the Trust has listened to, and is concerned by, the many issues raised by patients and families, since the Parking Eye system was installed. As a result, we are entering into urgent discussions with Parking Eye Ltd to find a way of addressing these concerns and preventing any recurrence of the issues which have been reported to us".
I would say the contract is still in force and PE have simply been told to tame their act?
This from the above thread today:-
ReplyDeleteThe first statement was that the Chief Executive had issued PE with a notice to terminate in accordance with the three month cancellation clause which exists in the contract.
It would seem 22a has not been satisfied.... https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/200146/Confidentiality_-_NHS_Code_of_Practice.pdf
ReplyDeleteare they out or in? or is the NHS going to have to pay £350k to get out?
ReplyDeleteEven aside from the basic question as to whether it is right or ethical to charge for parking at a hospital this particular system of pay on exit with no indication of the sum required is particularly invidious. A pay & display system is totally inappropriate too as there can be any number of reasons why a patient or visitor would be delayed so why should they be penalised for guessing wrongly how long their visit would be?
ReplyDeleteHardly a victory if the financially burden trust has to pay out money to get out of the contract. PE must be totally gutted by getting a lump sum pay out, if that's the case. No sending out letters for payment that may or may not come in. It's all money in the bank, which means less money for patients, etc.
ReplyDeletecan the health authority simply cancel every parking eye ticket , until PE get fed up and bail out?
ReplyDeleteThe 3 months to quit is probably in the contract, so it won't cost them anything to rid themselves of the parking scourge
ReplyDeleteCraig, based upon what happened with other Supermarkets, I doubt very much if it's a pain-free break. Most contract in the commerical sector have a natural break after years of a contract, unless it's for material breach. I may be wrong. Either way, it's another three Months of swelling PE's coffers.
ReplyDeleteSimple answer - someone from the Trust needs to climb up a ladder, and put black gaffer tape over the lenses of all PE's cameras. That will slow them down a bit.
ReplyDeletePE's standard contract (as publicised via FOIA) says the following about termination:
ReplyDelete"4.4 This Agreement may be terminated by either party on expiry of the Initial Term by the provision of at least 30 days’ written notice to the other party, prior to expiry of the Initial Term (for each year of the Initial Term). If no such notice of termination is received by either party, this Agreement shall automatically continue in force for a further period equivalent to the Initial Term under the same terms and conditions contained herein unless terminated pursuant to Clause 12, and this same Agreement renewal process shall apply for every subsequent cycle thereafter."
So I would say that probably the initial term is now over at Northumbria NHS so they are at liberty to terminate the contract without having to pay damages to PE - by the way those damages could also only be genuine pre-estimates of loss. ;)
and if they cancelled every ticket , there would be no losses to PE
ReplyDeleteappreciate all the comments.
ReplyDeleteThe contract does have a specific three month termination clause.
A copy is here;
https://drive.google.com/?urp=http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa%3Dt%26rct%3Dj%26q%3D%26esrc%3Ds%26f&pli=1&authuser=0#my-drive
Clause 26.7 reads;
The authority shall have the right to terminate the contract at any time by giving three (3) months written notice to the contractor.