South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWUFT) made over £1.5million from parking last year - with the amount made from staff parking the fifth highest in the country.

The trust made £379,827 from staff parking charges between April 1 2021 and 31 March 2022 according to the Estates Returns Information Collection published by NHS Digital last week. 

Only four other NHS trusts made more, with South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust topping the charts after raking in £865,409.

The data also shows that during that time period 151 trusts across the country did not make any money from staff parking.

SWUFT was also revealed to make the 27th most money from customer car parking, taking in £1,140,000 over the course of the year.

At £4,128,328 neighbouring University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust took in the most from visitors. 

All hospital trusts across the country have to provide free parking for the disabled, outpatients with at least three hospital appointments a month, staff working night shifts and parents of sick children staying overnight.

But the data collected also coincided with the government temporarily lifting charges for NHS staff during the pandemic. This ended on April 1 2022. 

A SWUFT told Nub News: "The trust reinstated car parking charges in line with other local trusts following the withdrawal of central funding. 

"All money generated from car parking goes towards the upkeep and maintenance of parking facilities, without this income other funds allocated for patient care would need to cover this. 

"Prior to reinstating car parking changes, any income was as a result of the central government funding in response to Covid-19. 

"Public and staff parking charges were last increased in October 2013 (nine years ago), currently there are no plans to review/increase charges."

The mandatory collection of data also revealed that SWUFT spent £9,344,000 on new buildings and £7,388,000 improving existing buildings during the time period.