"The Royal Oldham Hospital's Smoking Policy?"

Having recently been a patient at this hospital, I could not fault my care but was left in disbelief at the level of smoking being allowed in the grounds of this hospital, especially at the main entrance with signs all around them patients totally disregarded the fact smoking was not allowed, bins overflowing with ciggarette ends, the floor covered it was horrible. On every occasion I went outside I had to weave my way through smokers, not once did I see anyone move them on or challenge anyone. When my relatives came I was able to walk out with them to get some air, as I was having difficulty breathing because of an illness, and some fresh air was a welcome relief, having never smoked in my life, I stay removed from the harms of it at all times, which is my choice, so why should I have to walk through clouds of secondhand smoke going in and out of the main entrance to this hospital as a patient or a visitor, when as the trust states on its information page "Strictly no smoking is allowed in either our buildings or grounds, including car parks" We had to walk through smokers outside on every occasion that I was taken out for some fresh air, on one of these occasions two male patients (in Pjamas) blocked the door area as they had literally taken one step out of the building to light up! And stood like statues as the sliding doors opened and closed behind them oblivious to the need for people to get in and out, and that it was in fact the main entrance! My daughter was fuming as we asked them to step aside and they wouldn't so we had no choice but to push around them to get back in to a hospital! She went straight to the information window and complained, the attendant sat there listened but didn't move! My daughter complained not only for my sake and hers but for the sake of all the other people who had to walk though all this smoke it was horrible. It is clearly not policed at all and it is something the trust really needs to address urgently no smoking should mean no smoking.