"Wollongong Hospital"

My husband experienced very competent treatment through the emergency department.

However, I was very disturbed by the complete disregard for the no smoking on site policy displayed by substantial number of staff and many patients and visitors at the entrance to the emergency department. Crowds of staff sit out on the grassed areas in front of emergency and at the entrances to the hospital ground smoking on their breaks and patients and visitors smoked anywhere they pleased. Some standing in front of doors  on or directly under the no smoking signs with complete impunity. There was absolutely no enforcement of the rule and completely disregard by smoking staff for the health and well being of visitors and patients attempting to enter the hospital. No-one trying to rush their loved one into an emergency department wants to have to negotiate clouds of foul smoke getting in and out, but that is exactly what you have to endure and it is disgusting. Fortunately none of the staff we had to deal with were smokers, but I know from experience how nauseating it is to have a doctor, nurse or wards-person who smokes in close proximity. It's something a non-smoking patients should not have to endure, but Wollongong Hospital does not seem to care.