Unity5’s Stress-Free Hospital Parking Management System for Healthcare Providers 

Visiting or working in a hospital can be a high-pressure experience. Unity5 software is used by some of the world’s largest parking management companies, transforming healthcare parking from a logistical hurdle into a seamless, supportive experience for patients, visitors and the dedicated staff who care for them.

Unity5’s hospital parking management software is used by over 120 NHS Trusts and Healthcare Providers. A shining example of how technology is making a daily positive impact is at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital in the UK.

The hospital serves a population of approximately 350,000 to 450,000 people across the city of Exeter and surrounding region in the UK, with over 300,000 outpatient attendances and 120,000 inpatient/day case admissions annually. The Emergency Department handles around 105,000 attendances per year.

By prioritizing a painless experience for people, our tailored hospital parking management solutions ensure that arriving at a healthcare facility is the easiest part of someone’s sometimes stressful or emotional day.

 

A Better Experience for Patients and Visitors

At Unity5 we  believe that “fair for all” parking means removing the stress of the “ticking clock.” Our innovative Zatpark and Zatpermit parking management solutions using are designed to let visitors focus on their loved ones rather than their parking meters.

• Pay on exit to suit the terms of the drivers: With flexible options, visitors can pay from their phone on leaving the campus or even after they leave, eliminating the need to hunt for change or rush back to the car.
• Frictionless Arrivals with or without gated access: Our use of advanced ALPR (Automatic License Plate Recognition) technology means no more fumbling for tickets or queuing at barriers. Cars can move smoothly, reducing congestion and getting patients to their appointments on time.
• Exemptions are easily set: for Blue Badge (placard) holders, patients with specific long-term conditions or needing regular treatments. Permits can be issued to eligible carers and volunteer drivers.
• Safety You Can See: Specially trained Enforcement Officers provide a reassuring presence, ensuring that the parking environment feels safe and welcoming at any hour of the day or night.

 

 

 

Empowering Hospital Staff at Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

For healthcare professionals, parking shouldn’t be a daily struggle. We create environments that respect their time and contribution.

• Dedicated Concession and Free Parking Portals: We provide staff with easy-to-use digital Zatpermit portals to manage their permits and access, making the commute one less thing to worry about.
• Guaranteed Access: By intelligently managing space and enforcing clear zones, we ensure that emergency vehicles always have a clear path and that staff can find reliable spots near their place of work.
• Sustainable Commuting: We help hospitals transition to a greener future by integrating Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points, supporting staff who choose sustainable transport.
  

 

 

Why It Matters

When parking is optimized, the entire healthcare ecosystem thrives. By reducing the “arrival anxiety” for visitors and the daily “commuter stress” for staff, Unity5 and our partners allow healthcare facilities to do what they do best: focus on delivering exceptional care.

 

 

 

Why Healthcare Organisations are moving away from legacy providers

When upgrading their systems, many universities default to the same domestic vendors they have used for decades. However, these “safe choices” often create long-term operational debt.

The rigid tech trap: Academic calendars change, construction projects displace lots, and sustainability goals evolve. Yet, many legacy systems require expensive change orders to modify a permit rule or alter a zone boundary. This leaves parking departments stuck with outdated policies because the software is too expensive to update.

How Unity5 are different: Our platform is built for self service. Campus administrators can configure new permit types or change pricing models instantly via the back office, at zero additional cost.

The walled garden problem: A smart hospital campus relies on data flow. You need your parking system to talk to your information system, your HR payroll for staff permits, and your barrier/gate access hardware. Many legacy providers lock you into proprietary ecosystems, making these integrations difficult or costly.

How Unity5 are different: We are hardware agnostic. We do not manufacture barriers or cameras; we connect to them. Whether you use existing gate (barrier) arms or new LPR (NPR) cameras, our open API ensures your parking data integrates seamlessly with your wider technology stack.

 

 

The Game Changer: Dynamic Date Reporting means Insight-Driven Decisions

Unity5 launched dynamic reporting dashboards back in Summer 2025. Users can easily build their own visual reporting dashboards and access their most important data and see the latest trends.

Drag & Drop functionality is now available to you to create your ‘Daily Dashboard’.
This truly dynamic display means that multiple reports can be easily combined to form a ‘daily dashboard’, offering an overview that is unrivalled in the market, revealing trends that can be used to make future data-driven decisions.

Once Advanced Dashboards are initially set up, they offer a future-proof and repeating visual snapshot of the status of the user’s business or enforcement ecosystem. Read more about Unity5’s dynamic dashboards

 

The Success of Unity5’s software for Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

A spokesperson for Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital said:

“Users simply enter their registration at the car park terminal when they return to their cars at the end of their hospital visit, and pay using several options for the time used. The system has been successful in making parking more convenient and fairly priced for hospital visitors.”


The outcomes that Healthcare providers can expect when using Unity5 for their parking management are:

• ‘Pay on Exit’ system means faster arrivals with more patients and visitors on‑time for appointments
• Compliance levels are improved with configurable parking policies
• Security is enhanced for staff and visitors
• Time is saved with far less manual workflows and reconciliations in the back‑office
• Costs are reduced with minimal or no development time needed due to a configurable system
• Enforcement and Tariff decisions are more efficient based on data trends from our analytics dashboards

 

Would you benefit from a discovery call about your hospital parking management?
Click here to contact our friendly team today.