This week a woman gave birth to her first child in the car park of Watford General Hospital after she was unable to make it into the maternity suite in time.

She described the experience as “very sudden” and even went home with her newborn daughter later that day.

She was lucky that she made it as far as the car park as it meant there were nurses and other trained staff - as well as shocked onlookers - on hand to help and make sure the baby was delivered safely.

The NHS isn’t perfect but we are also lucky that we live in a country where we receive health care ‘free at the point of need’.

Which leads to an interesting question. Receiving treatment in the hospital may be free, but anyone parking outside has to pay.

The young mum received her care in the car park, not the maternity unit. Surely this means she should not have to pay for parking?