Free parking for the more than 7000 cancer patients treated at Sunshine hospital each year underpins its official standing as the state’s best hospital for access to parking.
Western Health is the “exemplar organisation” when it comes to parking accessibility for people coming in for lifesaving chemotherapy, a Cancer Council Victoria audit has found.
The audit investigated 21 Victorian health organisations responsible for 53 hospitals, which all have fee-paying parking. An additional Cancer Council Victoria report last year revealed a standard metropolitan breast cancer patient was paying more than $1100 per year on parking, and it cited a dearth of online information about hospital parking and access.
For the past two years, any cancer patient attending day oncology at Sunshine Hospital, including the nurse-led symptom urgent review clinic, is not charged to park.
This saves a standard breast cancer patient about $30 a day in fees while at the hospital.
Open from 8.30am until 5.30pm, Monday to Friday, day oncology treats an average 150 patients a week, or between 7000 and 8000 patients a year.
Day oncology and oncology hospital in the home nurse unit manager Oanh Nguyen said the report results are outstanding for Sunshine Hospital and Western Health.
“Western Health came right out on top,” she said. “Without free parking, for standard breast cancer patients, it would be roughly $30 a day to park. [This] really enables them to be compliant with their treatment.”
Cancel Council chief executive Todd Harper said Western Health was setting the standard for all Victorian hospitals.
“We congratulate Western Health on their commitment to easing the burden of car parking on frequent attenders,” he said.
“These measures include free parking for oncology patients, clear and comprehensive information made publicly available regarding eligibility for subsidy schemes, drop-off areas, reserved parking spots for day oncology patients to limit walking … and details including costs and time limits of parking available on surrounding streets.”
