‘Carry On Smoking’ scenario outside the Lourdes

A local councillor feels the sight of people smoking outside Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital on the Windmill Road seems more like a ‘Carry On’ film than real life.

And he wants the HSE to tackle the issue.

‘We need to stamp out smoking at the hospital gates!’ Cllr Frank Godfrey stated. ‘ The HSE has an obligation to both sets of patients – the smokers and the non-smokers – and must offer a plausible solution to both. It’s just not acceptable that people must walk through clouds of cigarette smoke to access the hospital, passing up to a dozen pyjama-clad patients at any time. I know that smoking areas are no longer permissible on HSE hospital campuses, but there must be recognition taken of the non-smokers walking through this smoke.’

‘People seem to be very irritated by the appearance of these patients in their PJs or gowns, some in wheelchairs, some pregnant, some actually wheeling their drips and oxygen bottles along too! It’s like something out of a ‘Carry On’ film! It’s unacceptable – they are under the care of the HSE who must cater for them in the long run. It’s up to the HSE to come up with a solution.’

He went on to say that the area most affected by smoke is the Windmill Road entrance/exit to the hospital.

‘Patients congregate to smoke here close to the shop and in the shelter of the wall. But this is the street where visitors park, with thousands going in and out this entrance. There are up to 1600 employees in the hospital, so there are huge numbers using this gate.’

Cllr Godfrey is write to Minister for Health Simon Harris to make his feelings known.