"Review of pain clinic"

I cannot fault the service I have received care of the Pain Clinic, currently based at Adelaide Street Health Centre, Norwich.

However I have had to discharge myself from the service despite still experiencing pain. On 2 occasions that I have visited I have received a "Parking Charge Notice", an invoice, for £60 if paid within 14 days, from Norwich Traffic Control. This private company has been commissioned by Norfolk Health Authority to oversee the traffic flow and parking on the Adelaide road site.

On the first occasion I was issued a ticket by NTC and wasn't explained why as when I arrived for my appointment I registered my car reg in reception. I appealed the ticket and it was dropped, without explanation of why it was issued in the first place. The second time it happened it transpired I had made a mistake entering my registration number- I had mistyped ONE letter. I appealed and explained how, with a long term pain condition, an error such as this can't be unheard of. And comparing the camera log to the database entry it would be clear to see the times add up and the registration I entered is only 1 letter different from what the camera recorded. I assumed that any human viewing my appeal would be able to use a modicum of common sense and compassion and see what a simple error I had made.

But no. My appeal was rejected by NTC. I was given 2 options. Pay or appeal through the "Independent Appeals Service" (if you find yourself in a similar situation look IAS up under the Money Saving Expert forums- they are not independent". I went thru the apparent independent appeals website. My appeal with them wasn't logged when first submitted due to a technical error with their website (they confirmed this in a message to me). I was able to submit my appeal but by this time NTC had passed in their "invoice" for allegedly parking at Adelaide street illicitly, to a debt recovery agency. This has now sent the charge up to £160!

All for attending a vital pain clinic appointment for 30 minutes and getting ONE CHARACTER of my registration plate wrong (was a new car as well).

I am disgusted. Stressed. Upset. Anxious. NHS Norfolk own the land and are aware of Norwich Traffic Control's antics and scare techniques. This private company is profiteering off the NHS and vulnerable users of NHS services. They operate in an UNREGULATED industry and their modus operandi is in DIRECT CONFLICT of the NHS constitution. Instead of improving the health and welfare outcomes of patients mine have been affected to my detriment due to the harassing and bullying nature of how NTC operate.

I have raised this with the pain clinic, with adelaide street surgery and they have no power to help me. That authority lies soley with Norfolk Community Health and care NHS Trust. I have also made my MP aware of the matter. I am not alone in this, many other users of the car park have been targeted and penalised. Many have paid out of fear of reprisals. This needs to end.