PATIENTS are being fined up to £100 after a private company was hired by a doctors' surgery to help deal with parking issues.

The Adam Practice at Longfleet Road brought in the company to monitor parking after it had been 'abused' by staff and patients of Poole Hospital, just over the road.

Surgery patients must enter their registration details to avoid a penalty charge notice - for which there are signs dotted around the car park and inside the building.

But the changes have not been communicated clearly enough, patients say, with some having been fined £100.

Peter Osborne, 71 from Poole, has been a patient at the surgery for 50 years.

He told the Daily Echo some people have received fines up to three months after the date of issue and, after receiving a PCN himself, has chosen to change his surgery as a result.

He said: "They are issuing PCNs left, right and centre. The problem is that you go into the doctors' surgery and ask if you can have proof that you were there, they refuse to help.

"It seems quite a few people are falling foul of this."

Pensioner Charles Orchard has been with the practice since he was a baby. He claims he was misinformed about the introduction of the car parking and has been fined three times.

"It worries me to death," he said. "I've had two strokes and a heart attack and I get really worried about it. I understand why they're doing it because you get every Tom, Dick and Harry parking there but it needs to be done in a decent manner. I'm even thinking about moving."

Andy Mintram, practice business manager, said: "Parking around the hospital has always been a concern, and although the practice sought alternative solutions, the continual abuse of our car park left enforcement as the only viable option to protect it for our patients' use.

"Patients are directed to enter their car registration into an iPad on the reception desk which permits them to park in the car park for the duration of their stay.

"This change was widely advertised when introduced and extensive signage is in place in the car park and within the surgery building. Patients can park for up to 15 minutes without entering their car registration, for example, to collect a prescription from the pharmacy. However we recommend that all visitors enter their registration number on arrival just in case their visit takes longer than expected.

"It is regrettable that some legitimate users of the car park have received penalty charge notices having not seen the signage. We will continue to work with our patients, surgery staff and [the parking company] to ensure that these occurrences are avoided wherever possible and improve signage further if required.

"[The parking company] have assured me that they issue all parking tickets within 28 days of a parking incident.

"The service we deliver to our patients is of the utmost importance."