"Smoking outside B1 hold new acute hospital"

My spouse was admitted to the new acute hospital at POW. They were looking forward to a few minutes in the outside area on B1. It was their first time outside in a few weeks. We were very disappointed by the number of people smoking in this area. We appreciate that patients, visitors and staff want to smoke somewhere,  but in such close proximity to all the entrances we felt that this was very inappropriate. I think the hospital is really a great resource, wonderful building and great staff, but allowing smoking all around this area seems to contravene NSW policies on smoke free workplaces which also include external areas.

Hospitals are there for the health needs of patients, visitors and staff and smoking in close proximity, not to mention all the littering from cigarette butts, is incompatible with hospital objectives. 

I believe you could of course consider a designated smoking area but it would need to away from areas where the public are transiting in and out of the building

Yours sincerely 

camelopardalissg48