Doctors and nurses are being made to pay to park at the hospital where they work.

Staff based at Princess Royal Hospital Hospital in Haywards Heath will be charged £12 a year for a parking permit.

About 900 permits will be allocated with workers who meet certain criteria getting priority.

The charges are part of a new car parking policy introduced by Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust affecting staff at all its hospitals.

A further 700 permits will be given to staff at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

The changes have angered workers at the Princess Royal who have not had to pay for parking permits before. Staff in Brighton have been paying up to £60 a year.

Permits will be allocated first to people who are disabled, work at different sites, have child or home care commitments, or live more than a mile from the hospital.

There are concerns about poor public transport links at the Princess Royal.

A Unison spokesman said: "There is a lot of anger about the one-mile boundary. What happens when we get to the middle of winter and the weather is bad? Not everyone can afford to get taxis or have people who can give them a lift."

Staff representative Pat Grant told the trust board: "People who are working on the late shift and are finishing at 9pm or 10pm are particularly worried.

"There is also a lot of anger among workers who have to drive in because they work at more than one site. They do not see why they should have to pay because the trust wants them to move around.

"There has also been some concern about the charge itself. If there are any plans to raise the cost, people want to be fully involved in the consultation process."

The board gave the go-ahead to the policy at yesterday's meeting.

It was drawn up as part of moves to improve the management of car parking spaces between staff and hospital visitors.

Director of facilities Lee Soden said: "We need to balance the needs of the patients, visitors and staff at the hospitals."

The policy includes plans to clearly segregate public and staff parking so it is easier to get access to a space. Where possible, people will be asked to pay for parking after their visit instead of a pay-and-display system.

The trust is also planning to extend free coach links for staff between hospital sites and negotiate a park-and-ride system at Brighton Racecourse.