FIRST Minister Jack McConnell has warned hospital bosses to think again over controversial parking charges.

He ordered them to come up with a way of deterring those who use hospital grounds as free local car parks - but without imposing "excessive" parking charges that penalise nurses, other hospital staff, and genuine visitors.

"If the health boards don't sort it out, we will intervene," he said.

Mr McConnell issued the warning after being taken to task by angry nurses at a public meeting in Glasgow.

They questioned him over the policy at a question-and-answer session, the latest in his Ask Jack series of public interrogations.

Hospital parking charges have proved fiercely controversial, and have prompted at least one petition to the Scottish Parliament.

Nurse Mandy Brown, of Yorkhill Hospital, told Mr McConnell: "It is a tax on the poor - it is not a free health service".

Mr McConnell told her it was for health boards to decide.

Pressed further, he said there was a problem in Glasgow of hospital car parks being used by people not connected with the hospitals.

"It should be possible across Scotland to have systems where car parks are managed in a way that allows access for people who use the hospital regularly, whether staff or patients, without excessive charges, while stopping people who don't visit or use the hospitals from abusing the car parks," he said.

"At the moment we don't get involved in those decisions by the health boards. But, unless charges are dealt with more reasonably by health boards then we will start interfering.

"Where there is a consistent problem across Scotland, it is possible for us to interfere and set guidelines, and there is a growing issue about car park charges.

"It is possible to stop people abusing the car parks at the same time as allowing people regular access to them.

"We want health boards to take that approach, and if they don't take we will start interfering and making it happen."

Hospital car parking charges will be from April at the Western Infirmary; Gartnavel General; Yorkhill Hospital For Sick Children; the Queen Mother's Hospital; the Victoria Infirmary; and the health board's offices at Charing Cross.

It will be £1 for the first two hours, which health bosses say will cover the vast majority of hospital outpatient appointments and visits.

The charge then increases by £1 for every hour up to seven hours, after which a maximum rate of £12 is applied.