Patients, parking and paying

Trying to find a car-parking space at a hospital can be almost as upsetting as the trauma experienced by people seeking health care. In many British cities, someone visiting a hospital would not even contemplate making the trip by automobile. Such a planned visit to the Bristol Royal Infirmary (say), or St Thomas's, would undoubtedly end in considerable exasperation. The situation at the University Hospital of Wales is no exception, and an MBA student project sought to help. Following an initial survey, the parking requirements for staff and visitors were investigated using a computer simulation of the problem. The simulation quantified the problem, and assisted in evaluating possible parking-charge schemes and the feasibility of financing a multi-storey car park.