Free Traffic Legal Advice

Just found this after searching for pepipoo of old. Sad to see its demise.
Anyway, a qucik precis -
Elderly friend of mine recieved a parking notice today from NPC after allegedly parking in a drop-off one outside a local hospital.

Ticket states - 'parked exceeding max stay period'. 14:04 to 14:38.
I don't have any further details at present, other than the event took place on 15th Sept.

I have lost touch pretty much with how private parking has moved on since around 2020 and have never heard of NPC before.
I don not know if they are legit or if they are IPC/IAS. Is it still not worth appealing? I have told them to contact the hospital directly and to request that the ticket be cancelled, since the hospital are responsible for appointing the parking comapny, who are thus their agents in the matter.
If NPC had to be classified, would they come under parking eye in terms of serious intent to pursue to court, or are they more of a smart parking operation?

Comments welcome.

NPC are IPC/IAS and nobody who is prepared to enter into a long process pays them anything in the end, but they may initiate the court process via one of the useless bulk litigators. But PALS at the hospital should be the first port of call.