The new system, introduced on Monday, 28 October, by private contractor Group Nexus, requires blue badge holders to register online using a multi-step process involving QR codes, invitation codes and photo uploads. Patients say the process is opaque and excludes those without smartphones or digital literacy.
The trust and Group Nexus said the introduction of the one-vehicle policy is designed to prevent widespread misuse and fraud by non-disabled users exploiting blue badges.
Why it matters: The problems emerged days after the trust assured patients there would be "no changes" to parking arrangements, and as new data shows the trust's parking operation generated £3.5 million net profit last year – raising questions about priorities when awarding the contract.
Liz Day, 73, from Trimley St Mary, said she attempted to register ahead of her appointment on Tuesday, 4 November, spending around 30 minutes as the system repeatedly failed.
"You go round and round in circles," she said. "I uploaded a photo of my blue badge, entered all my details, and it just wouldn't work. It's a farce."
Day has spinal problems and recently underwent spinal surgery, while her husband, Steven, has kidney failure and heart problems.
"I'm 73 and quite tech-savvy – not even what you'd call elderly," she said. "The whole procedure took at least 30 minutes, and I still wasn't registered."
Despite eventually completing registration "after several attempts", Day said she received a confirmation email setting her permit expiry as 5 November – the day after her booked appointment – despite the system promising an ongoing permit until her blue badge expires. She said she has now been told she must contact a help team to cancel her application and start again.
"You couldn't make it up," she said. "I still don't understand how it worked. It's confusing and frustrating."
Communication breakdown: Some patients said they were unaware of the changes until seeing complaints on social media.
"I think the planning and implementation has been horrendous," Day said. "Some people will be turning up today with no idea anything's changed."
Day, a former registered nurse who worked in the NHS and private care sector for 44 years until retiring at 62, warned that patients who believe they have registered successfully could face parking fines if the system has failed without their knowledge.
Other people described similar problems in comments on the Ipswich.co.uk Facebook page.
Christine Smylie reported spending "over two hours today trying – without success – to register my blue badge" after the system repeatedly rejected photos despite her husband trying "every format."
When she sought help at the hospital's main reception, she was told staff "can't help anymore."
"The leaflet says 'how to simplify your parking with a blue badge' – you've got to have a sick sense of humour," she said. "Hours wasted trying to no avail."
Digital exclusion: Dorothy Parr, who does not own a smartphone, said she was unable to register at the hospital and had to seek her daughter's help at home.
"Haven't got a smartphone, so couldn't scan the code. The person in reception was no help," she said. "Had to apply online at home, which was a nightmare – had to get my daughter's help. Took over two hours to get accepted, and she uses computers every day."
She added: "No consideration has been given to people who are not used to computers, and a large number of blue badge holders are the older generation."
One-vehicle limit: Multiple patients expressed frustration that the new system limits them to registering just one vehicle at a time, compared to four under the previous provider, Parking Eye. The system allows only one vehicle to be linked to a blue badge at a time, a restriction patients say undermines the scheme's purpose, which is designed to support individuals regardless of which vehicle they travel in.
"Blue badges are registered to the person, not the vehicle, for a reason," Day said. "People with disabilities may not have a car and rely on lifts from many people. This is completely wrong and disadvantaging those with mobility problems."
Lyndsey Mullett said her disabled brother previously had four vehicles registered, "so it didn't matter if he took himself in his car or if someone needed to take him."
"Now, each time someone else takes him, we have to change the registered vehicle over, which is time-consuming and causes extra work for staff and possibly parking fines," she said. "It's especially harder if attending the hospital in an emergency."
Jim Monkman said: "You can only register one vehicle on a blue badge, which is not very good when you have to rely on different relatives – depending on availability – to take you to hospital."
Danny Bysouth, who relies on ambulances for most hospital visits, said without a mobile phone he was unclear how to navigate the QR code-based system when taking his wife to appointments.
Several patients also reported confusion over an "invitation code" required for registration.
Kelsey Ward said she had sent "14 emails to Nexus, no response with proper information" while trying to find the code.
For context: Group Nexus took over management of the trust's car parks on 22 October, replacing Parking Eye. The trust provided free parking from 21-27 October to support the transition.
On 27 October, the trust said: "There are no other changes being made. All existing parking charges and payment arrangements will stay the same. We will also continue to provide 30 minutes free parking and free drop-off zones for our patients and visitors."
New NHS England data shows East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust received around £4.4 million from parking charges across its sites in the year to March 2025 – a 25% increase from £3.5 million the previous year. After deducting £813,000 in management costs, the trust made a net profit of £3.5 million from parking.
Accountability questions: Day questioned whether patient welfare had been prioritised in the contract award.
"If Nick Hulme was in the room, I'd ask him to think about the patients," she said, referring to the trust's chief executive, who is stepping down at around Christmas. "Think about people with disabilities and the problems they've got."
She added: "I worked in the care industry all my life. I know how many people rely on carers to do this sort of thing. They're being asked to go online and change details every time the car changes. It's not realistic."
The response: East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust said it had received no formal complaints about the system and denied there had been any system failures.
The trust confirmed blue badge holders are now limited to registering one vehicle, saying this is "to avoid misuse of a Blue Badge permit." It said patients using different vehicles can create daily permits at reception or change vehicle details online.
Nick Hulme, chief executive of ESNEFT, said: "We'd like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding as we and Group Nexus work together to ensure a smooth transition process.
"The online platform is a new addition to what was already in place for blue badge holders. For some people this will make the process of managing their vehicles and blue badge easier. We acknowledge that for others, making arrangements with one of our reception/department teams at the time of their visit is preferred. We would like to reassure our patients and visitors that this option remains in place, and our teams are here to help you."
Group Nexus said it had transferred over 45,750 existing blue badge permits to the new system, with over 1,040 new applications made since Monday, 28 October. The company said it was "not aware of any technical issues" and that its system accepts all standard file formats.
What's next: It remains unclear how blue badge holders should register if the online system fails, or what recourse they have if incorrectly charged for parking they are entitled to receive free.
Andy Yacoub, chief executive of Healthwatch Suffolk, said: "We all have a right to independently access services when we need them.
"Visiting the hospital is a potentially stressful or highly emotional experience, and we hope that people's experiences will be reviewed so everyone can avoid the potential of additional worries regarding their parking.
"A core concern to consider with the implementation of new systems is the danger of excluding those who may be uncomfortable or unable to register through digital exclusion. This may occur because of a lack of digital skills or confidence, access to devices, disability, costs, or other similar reasons.
"We know from our own research around digitising the NHS that embracing technology-based options can immediately benefit most people. However, we risk further widening the inequality gap already seen in healthcare, if we do not pay attention to why some may struggle to access services, or services fail to offer alternative methods."
The bottom line: Days after assuring patients there would be "no changes" to parking arrangements, multiple disabled patients report being unable to register with the trust's new parking provider for the free parking to which they are entitled, with technical failures, digital exclusion and a controversial one-vehicle policy creating what one former NHS nurse described as a "horrendous" implementation that is "disadvantaging people rather than enabling them".
