A lack of car parking at Whangārei Hospital is forcing staff to arrive an hour early for shifts and means some patients are missing appointments.

Staff say more planning should have been done before car parks were cut with construction work, but Health NZ said more car parking will be included in the hospital redevelopment that is due to be completed by 2031.

While car parking has always been restricted at the hospital, the situation has been inflamed since December last year when work started on a new $35 million child health unit, Tira Ora.

About 80 renal and visitor car parks have been removed by the construction, estimates nurse Karen, a representative of the NZ Nurses Organisation who asked for her last name to be withheld.

Some of the visitor parking has been moved to a staff carpark but there is a squeeze on available parks, she said.

“Visitors go around and around looking for parks and some have left not being able to make their appointments.”

Karen said some patients are being pointed to the staff carparks so they can make their appointments, but this has led to afternoon shift workers finding their dedicated parks have been taken.

“The afternoon shift workers are having to come to work nearly an hour beforehand to find a park,” she said.

“It would be great to see more parking within the hospital grounds and it would be nice if it had been planned for prior to starting the renovations.”

Karen said alternatives such as taking the bus are not possible for the shift workers and security is a concern for those working late at night, especially if they have far to go to get to their car.

PSA union organiser Mark Furey, who represents about 800 workers at the hospital, said he has driven around three to four times to find a park and could see other visitors getting equally frustrated.

While visitors have to pay for car parking at Whangārei Hospital after the first hour, it hasn't stopped the queues and number of people driving around and around. Photo / Denise Piper

Administration workers told him cancellations are “through the roof” because of people being caught out by the lack of parks.

Much of the available car parking is not suitable for those who are sick or less mobile, with the walk from Tohora House, between Hospital Rd and West End Ave, known as “cardiac hill”, he said.

The situation has come from the hospital expanding, despite being built on a hill and unstable land, Furey said.

A plan to build a multi-storey carpark at the front of the hospital, on Maunu Rd, had to be scrapped because of unstable land, he said.

“It has to be taken seriously and to take it seriously there’s a substantial cost involved.”

Alex Pimm, Health NZ group director of operations Northern, acknowledged there are car parking constraints at Whangārei Hospital.

“We ... thank people for their patience when trying to park as we know how frustrating it can be.”

Pimm said building additional car parking is a long-term commitment as part of the Pihi Kaha hospital redevelopment.

The project is being actively progressed, with decisions expected later this year, he said. It is not due to be finished until 2031.

Pimm said the organisation is working to move more outpatient appointments to other locations and is asking services to consider appointment timing to avoid congestion.

People are also encouraged to:

• Ask friends or whānau to drop them off and pick them up after their appointment.
• Make use of transport options like buses, taxis, ride-share services such as Driving Miss Daisy and Freedom Companion Drive, or public shuttles like those provided by Hato Hone St John and Linking Hands.
• Engage in active transport such as walking, cycling or e-scooter.
• Check eligibility for the Total Mobility scheme, which is facilitated by Northland Regional Council and will contribute towards approved taxi and ride-share costs.

Pimm recognised car parking challenges for staff too and said Health NZ is actively considering solutions for staff parking.

The options include staff carpooling, off-site staff parking, working with council to consider aligning the bus timetable with staff shifts and releasing underutilised staff car parks during the day.

Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.