Staff and patients are to be charged to park at Brighton General Hospital from April.
Sussex Community NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, says it is bringing in managed parking to control traffic flow.
It says ambulances are being blocked by bad parking at the moment, and there are also failed deliveries and blocked-in vehicles.
A spokesman said: “With more than 1,100 staff working here from three different NHS trusts and around 550 patients visiting each day, Brighton General Hospital (BGH) inevitably attracts vehicle traffic and requires parking spaces for staff and visitors alike.
“We are introducing managed parking in response to a number of factors including our development of BGH as a major hub for our services.
“Managed parking will help us deal with the on-going problem of vehicle incidents, including blocked-in vehicles, failed deliveries and access for emergency vehicles, improve the safety and security of drivers, their vehicles and pedestrians. and make it more likely for patients and visitors to find a parking space.”
Fees paid under the managed scheme, which will start on Monday, April 6, will help cover its costs, and any surplus will be reinvested.
It will include 27 disabled bays and seven drop-off bays where anyone visiting can park for 20 minutes for free.
Charges will range from £2.50 for two hours to £20 for 24 hours, with £100 penalty fares.
Trust staff based at BGH who come to and from the site during their working day will be able to park in designated areas free of charge for up to two hours although they will need to display a permit.
Other staff wanting to park on site that don’t need to use their vehicle during the day will be able to apply for an annual parking permit. Charges will vary according to how much they earn, but for most staff the costs will be around £1 a week.
UK Parking Control Ltd (UKPC) will administer and maintain visitor parking including entrance and exit barriers, payments and a traffic warden patrol service.