Hospital patients, visitors and staff paid out £1.72m in parking charges in a year, it was revealed yesterday.

Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals came third out of 30 NHS trusts making more than £1m a year from car parking.

It was immediately accused of exploiting the sick.

The trust, which runs the John Radcliffe and Churchill Hospitals in Oxford and The Horton at Banbury saw its revenue rise in 2005-06 by almost £500,000 on the previous year, according to figures published by the Government.

Jacquie Pearce-Gervis, Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals' patient forum chairman, said: "I'm shocked by these figures.

"Nobody chooses to go to hospital and this is just exploiting the vulnerable and the ill.

"The patients' forum is opposed to payment of any kind.

"People can't afford the charges, especially those who only have a pension to live on."

Mrs Pearce-Gervis said that the trust charged disabled blue permit holders and that it had not introduced an attendant at the John Radcliffe site as promised.

She said: "When the forum agreed to the increases to parking charges last year, we were told that one would be introduced. But this hasn't happened."

Mervyn Phipps, assistant director of estates, facilities and environmental services for the trust, said the charges were a necessity.

He added: "I feel that the fees are reasonable.

"We're not trying to profiteer and all the money raised is being put back into the service.

"Of the £1.72m, only six per cent is profit - which goes back into patient services.

"If people's expectations are to drive to a hospital and park their car and stay as long as they like, at no charge, then this is unrealistic.

"Part of the reason for the charges is to prevent misuse and if we didn't charge, it would be open to abuse."

Mr Phipps said that in the past year, the John Radcliffe site had expanded substantially and the total patient and visitor parking had increased by 250 spaces - meaning an increase in revenue.

He said: "This figure that has been released represents the total income from parking revenue, including staff parking."

The Oxford Radcliffe Trust did come in for support from Macmillan Cancer Support, which praised it for providing free parking for cancer sufferers.

Rachel Barnes, regional communication officer, said: "We commend the Radcliffe trust for free parking provision for cancer sufferers.

"We wish all other hospitals would follow suit."

Along with cancer sufferers, the Oxford Radcliffe Trust also provides free parking for other regular visitors, such as dialysis users and anyone visiting relatives who are in intensive care units.