Disabled patients are complaining after being “unfairly” fined for parking at Lewisham hospital.

Lewisham hospital now requires blue badge holders to register their car at reception, rather than just displaying their disabled badge at the front of their car like they used to.

Several patients have been fined after claiming not to see the notices explaining this new rule during their rush to A&E.

Anna Hudson, a 39-year-old mum, said: “I am a disabled driver with a motability vehicle.

“I’ve received two tickets for taking my young children with severe bleeding disorders to A&E.

“We were rushing as they were bleeding and did not see the signs.

“We have been going to the hospital for seven years and never needed to register.

“It is clearly just a money-making scheme from the hospital – profiting off of disabled hospital users which I believe is utterly shameful.

"It's deeply upsetting.”

Anna is not the only person visiting the hospital who has been hit with a fine.

Patricia Palmer has also been issued a £40 fine after not registering her car at reception during a trip to hospital.

Patricia, 75, said: “I was racing to A&E, so I didn’t see the notice saying I had to register.

“If you see a disabled space, you just park in it – you shouldn’t be expected to do anything else to prove your disability.

“I can’t describe how annoyed I am.

“You don’t go and park at the hospital just for fun.”

Patricia has since sent a letter to the NHS Trust outlining her complaint but has still not received a response over two weeks later.

A spokesperson for the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust said that there are several large signs in the disabled car park explaining the rules.

They added that the car parks are managed electronically by cameras, rather than by wardens.

Patricia said: “There’s an awful lot of people who wouldn’t be able to even get to reception because of their disability.

“There’s also some people who just won’t be able to afford the fine.

“We’re in a cost of living crisis and this £40 fine could ruin people.

“It’s disgusting.”

A spokesperson for the Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust said: “Our car parks at University Hospital Lewisham are now managed electronically by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, which record all vehicles entering and leaving the car park.

“Blue Badge holders can park for four hours in the Blue Badge bays but need to register at main reception areas each time they park.

“There are several large signs in the disabled car park explaining this.

“At University Hospital Lewisham, Blue Badge holders can register at main reception, ED/UCC reception, Riverside reception, phlebotomy (Suite 1) and physiotherapy (Blue Zone) reception.

“If the disabled bays are full, Blue Badge holders can park in the public car park, but must always display a Blue Badge in the windscreen and register at one of our receptions.”

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