STAFF at Salisbury District Hospital will have to pay to park there, despite warnings it will cause real financial hardship.

At a meeting on Monday the trust board of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust agreed to introduce charges, saying they will contribute ongoing maintenance and development costs of staff car parks and savings initiatives, as well as supporting green travel and staff wellbeing initiatives.

But unions have hit out at the decision, saying it equates to a pay cut in real terms.

A statement issued by the joint Staff Side unions said: “This decision will lead to real financial pain faced by staff at Salisbury hospital. “We believe that this is more about the trust raising additional income from its staff to address their financial challenge than it is about green travel and staff welfare."

The decision follows a six-week consultation with staff.

For an in-depth report see the June 10 edition of the Salisbury Journal.