A hospital trust and a parking firm have apologized after parking fines were issued to a woman who has been in intensive care since March.
Kate Matthews, 36, has been described as "fighting for her life" at Hull Royal Infirmary. Her family received four parking charge notices from APCOA between June 28 and August 13.
David Matthews, Kate's partner, stated that they had receipts proving that parking permits had been paid for on the dates the fines were issued. He expressed distress over the situation, saying, "We've gone through the most difficult year of our lives - nothing to what Kate's gone through - but to have this on top is just like a straw that breaks the camel's back."
He added, "I spent the other day writing a complaint to APCOA when I should have been at my daughter's bedside."
In a joint statement, the NHS Humber Health Partnership and APCOA acknowledged the distress caused. "The last thing we ever want to do for patients and families in this position is cause any undue stress or worry, so we apologize for any distress caused," the statement read.
APCOA confirmed that the parking charges have been canceled, noting that the usual process for appealing a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) was not followed in this instance. An investigation into the circumstances of this specific case led to the cancellation of the fines.