HOSPITAL parking charges are a necessary evil. They deter freeloaders looking for somewhere to dump the car for the day and they pay for increased security — no one wants the added worry of wondering if their car will still be where they left it when they get out.

But some hospital trusts appear to have turned parking provision into a rather profitable sideline to caring for the sick.

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, for instance, made more than £2m from parking charges.

Parking for a few hours is a considerable expense.

Charges have risen to the point where it is now cheaper to leave your car in a councilrun car park and walk to hospital; if, that is, you can walk at all. Monthly passes are available at reduced cost, but they only work for patients who attend a clinic regularly.

Parking would be less stressful if hospitals could manage in-patients admissions so people are seen by a doctor at the appointed time.

Sadly, delays are part and parcel of a hospital visit in 2014, necessitating round-trips to feed the parking meter with more coins.

In many cases, staff, too, have to pay for parking — and most of them do not enjoy the generous salary of a hospital consultant. Many work long hours and some finish work late at night when a dark public car park could pose a security risk.

Perhaps we would pay with more equanimity if hospital car parks could guarantee a space.

A trip to hospital is always a cause of anxiety, ranging from mild stress to outright panic, and a frantic hunt for a spare parking bay is a trauma many patients can well do without.

The NHS saves millions of pounds every year by treating people as out-patients, but hefty parking charges and fines increase stress for patients and visitors.

Penalising the sick with steep parking charges is adding insult to injury.