A DIALYSIS patient is fuming at parking attendants after they ignored a nurse's plea and gave her a ticket at Wycombe Hospital.

Caroline Grey, 42, of Woodcock Avenue, Walters Ash, travels to Wycombe Hospital three times a week for dialysis after she suffered kidney failure.

On Wednesday morning she made the trip for the four-hour treatment but when she arrived was confronted with the usual problem of no parking spaces.

Mother-of-three Mrs Grey is booked in for dialysis at specific times and had to leave her car on yellow thatched markings.

The disabled badge and renal unit parking permit holder also had a note displayed in her windscreen from a nurse asking parking inspectors to be lenient because there were never any spaces available.

Mrs Grey said: "My dialysis treatment is very hard and makes me feel awful and so to come out of the hospital and find I had a £40 parking ticket made it even worse.

"This was the first time I have been given a ticket but not the first time I have not been able to find a parking space.

"I am upset and annoyed about this and I would have liked to think the note would have made some difference."

A spokesman for Wycombe District Council said: "The council runs the car park on behalf of the hospital and it is the job of our wardens to ensure that parking restrictions are not breached.

"Any complaint or dispute over the issuing of a parking ticket will be forwarded to the hospital authorities and it is up to them to decide what action to take."

Mrs Grey added: "People who have to use the renal unit are constantly suffering from the problem of a lack of parking spaces. One of the problems is disabled badge holders using spaces designated for renal unit patients."

Bucks Free Press editor Steve Cohen has been another person to experience the parking difficulties at Wycombe Hospital.

He said: "I had to take my young son to the hospital the other day after he cut his finger but there was just nowhere to park. Luckily I was with my wife so she could get out to rush to A & E while I looked for a space."

A spokesman for the hospital said they are aware people are suffering parking problems and any individuals who have a complaint should contact the hospital so it can be investigated.

January 24, 2003 10:30