Patients and people visiting loved ones are going to have to pay more to park at Medway Maritime Hospital.

Charges are set to increase by 60% and will effect those who have to spend more than five hours in hospital.

From Monday, October 26, the current fee of £5 will rise to £8 for stays between five and 24 hours.

The increase comes the week after the Medway Messenger revealed that the hospital's deficit has trebled in a year from £10,159,000 in 2013-14 to £30,535,000 in 2014-15. The trust is projecting a further deficit for 2015-16.

Teresa Murray, Medway Labour's health spokeswoman, said: "I'm very disappointed and worried for the residents and patients and their families.

"This increase is much greater than inflation and there has been no attempt to consult the public or anybody."

David Brake, chairman of Medway Council's health and wellbeing board, said he had not been informed and that he would be asking questions at a meeting at the hospital yesterday afternoon.

The change has not been announced on their website but a notice has been put up on on the parking machines within the site.

There will be no changes to the cost for stays under five hours.

A spokeswoman for the hospital said: "Following a review of parking facilities at Medway Maritime Hospital a decision has been made to make some changes to the parking charges for our visitors. The changes will impact those who park for more than five hours which is around 11% of our visitors. A review of neighbouring NHS organisations has shown that our new rates are still among the cheapest.

"Car parking onsite at the hospital is challenging and has been for a considerable period of time. For too long our patients and visitors have had trouble finding spaces on our site, especially at peak times. Our primary objective is to improve patient experience and being able to access the hospital’s services promptly and conveniently is an important factor in this.

"By increasing parking charges for a small number of our visitors, we will be able to increase the number of parking spaces available. Any surplus income beyond this will be put directly back into patient care to improve the services we offer to our patients.

"We will continue to offer a range of concessions to make car parking accessible for all our patients and visitors. This includes parking for parents or guardians of children on paediatric wards and for the next of kin of patients on critical, intensive or high dependency units."

The hospital last put up the parking charges in October 2013 when they increased from £1.50 to park for one hour to a minimum of £2 for two hours.

From April of that year, staff were also offered incentives to park off site and all new staff have to park off-site at allocated spaces two miles away at Chatham Historic Dockyard and take a shuttle bus to the hospital.

What do you think of the proposed increase? Let us know on 01634 227821 or medwaymessenger@thekmgroup.co.uk