The concerned mum spoke out as a city-based politician urged health minister Andy Kerr to consider hospital parking guidelines, which are not based on financial motives.

Mrs Butler questioned whether the money raised by the new charges would go straight into the pocket of the car park management company.

“As the parent of a seriously ill child, who regularly attends Ninewells Hospital, I think this latest move — to charge ill people attending hospital because they have to — is morally reprehensible,” she said.

“Long term illness drains a family’s resources, physically, emotionally and financially.

“We should be able to focus on supporting our child through their treatment and seeing them well again.

“This is a tax on being ill. It takes hugely, and out of all proportion, from those whose incomes suffer or are low because of ill health in the family.”

The writers of the report, which led to the new charges, were losing the “hearts and minds of the public,” she continued.

Added Mrs Butler, “To put it simply, the hospital trust managers are willing to condone such a repugnant move because they think they can get away with it.”

A number of constituents, including Mrs Butler, contacted Dundee West MSP Kate Maclean today to voice their concern at the price hike.

Ms Maclean said NHS Tayside should not have increased parking charges until a comprehensive review involving service users had been carried out.

“Specific concerns have been raised by my constituents that, since the children’s outpatients clinic moved down the area adjacent from the children’s ward, the closest parking area for visitors to the ward is that next to the maternity wards,” she said.

“There are just two disabled parking places for the visitors to the children’s outpatients clinic and the ward using this access.

“This is a clinic that has 12,000 children going through its doors in a year, and on this figure the clinic can expect to see around 50 patients a day.

“Many of the youngsters attending oncology clinics will have mobility problems.

“If their parents are unable to get a disabled space they already have to pay £1.50 for a visit.

“It is a common occurrence that these youngsters may find themselves grounded in hospital because of infection or worrying blood counts which can mean straight admission to the ward.

“Bearing this in mind, I would like NHS Tayside to consider whether they think it is reasonable that a parent of a seriously ill child will have to leave their child’s side to go out and either pay for yet another ticket, or drive around looking for another parking space.”

The MSP said concerns have also been put to her regarding the plight of patients receiving dialysis, who routinely need to park for longer than four hours in order to receive their treatment.

“Although NHS Tayside may say some people will be able to claim exemptions, this is really not the point,” continued Ms Maclean.

“The point is that patients will have to jump through bureaucratic hoops to do so, which is not acceptable, given we are talking about people who are unwell and should be concentrating on their health.

“In addition, for family visitors to patients who may be very ill or dying, it is not unusual to be at their loved ones’ bedside for hours.

“I know from personal experience that the last thing on anyone’s mind in that situation is remembering to run out and feed a parking meter.

“I will be calling on NHS Tayside to conduct an open and transparent review which must fully include service users as well as service providers.

“In addition, I am contacting Health Minister Andy Kerr to ask him to consider the possibility of introducing guidelines for hospital parking that are not led by financial imperatives.”