Example public health service dissertation topic 5:

The NHS and hospital car parking charges: A charge too far?

The requirement to pay for parking when visiting relatives in hospital causes widespread anger. It is, however, at the same time, a source of revenue for the NHS trust that operates the hospital in question. This dissertation firstly charts the introduction of car parking charging within NHS hospitals and then notes the academic arguments on both sides of the argument. These are then contextualised by reference to primary data collected from patients, workers and relatives. This dissertation endeavours to ultimately proffer suggestions as to how the conflict demands of sensitivity to patient care can be balanced by the need to raise much needed funds.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Kale, R. (2012) ‘Parking-centred health care’, Canadian Medical Association Journal, Vol. 148(1), pp. 11-15.
• Pitt, M. (2010) ‘Charging for non-core facilities services: The case of hospital car parking’, Journal of Retail & Leisure Property, Vol. 9, pp. 261-262.
• Tailby, S., Richardson, M., Stewart, P., Danford, A. and Upchurch, M. (2004) Partnership at work and worker participation: An NHS case study. Industrial Relations Journal, Vol. 35, pp. 403-418.