University Hospital Galway

Hospital Group: Saolta Hospital Group

Parking

There are 5 public car parks on site. For the best value parking rates at University Hospital Galway, pre-book your parking on-line. This option is suitable for visitors who require flexible tickets to allow multiple entries or exits for a day or week. Click here for more details and to pre-book.

Visiting hours

Visiting times are:

• 2pm to 4pm
• 6pm to 8pm

Limited visits in outbreak wards

Our hospitals are dealing many cases of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, flu, RSV. If the hospital is managing an infectious outbreak on a ward then access to visitors will be limited to protect patients and visitors.

Access for visitors to patients in outbreak wards is limited to one family member or nominated support person per day and these visits must be pre-arranged by contacting the relevant ward or unit in advance.

Children may not visit the hospital unless agreed in advance, on compassionate grounds, with the ward or unit manager

Anyone coming to the hospital must complete a COVID-19 screening checklist and follow public health guidance, including wearing a surgical face mask and performing good hand hygiene regularly.

Do not visit the hospital if you have symptoms of COVID-19 (high temperature, cough, shortness of breath, or loss or change to your sense of smell or taste).

The current visiting restrictions are kept under review and will be updated in line with national recommendations.

Maternity Department

As a maternity department, we aim to empower each woman to have a positive labour and birth experience and to enable each woman to have the support of a nominated support partner of their choice throughout the process of labour and birth.

We endeavour to ensure nominated support partners are with women during every stage of their labour, including induction of labour and birth.

Due to COVID-19, safety within the department is being continuously reviewed with regard to local infrastructure, activity within the department and the necessity at all times to maintain social distancing.

In line with recent national guidance, we are facilitating the following access for birthing partners/parents

• Nominated support partner of women in labour are welcome to attend for the birth and nominated support partner can attend a caesarean section done under regional anaesthesia, subject to screening questions and wearing PPE (surgical mask and gown) in the theatre.
• Nominated support partner access is possible between 8am and 9pm, apart from clinical activities including ward rounds.
• Nominated support partner will be facilitated between 9pm and 8am if delivery is anticipated or due to distressing circumstances
• This is subject to screening questions and wearing a face mask in the ward area.
• A nominated support partner may attend for all scans, including EPAU.
• A nominated support partner can attend the High Risk Antenatal Clinic

For all other clinics, please discuss nominated support partner access with the Clinical Midwifery Manager prior to attending the appointment. This is due to the need to monitor capacity within the clinics and maintain social distancing.

Antenatal Clinic

For routine antenatal clinics please discuss nominated support partner access with the Clinical Midwifery manager before attending the appointment. This is due to the need to monitor capacity within the clinics and maintain social distancing.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)

Parents of an infant in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit may visit, 1 parent at a time. Parents must wear a face mask in the clinical area. Grandparents and children are not allowed to visit the NICU.

If a nominated support partner has COVID-19 symptoms, is awaiting a COVID-19 test or test result, or has had a positive test within the last 14 days, they must not come to the hospital. But an alternative nominated support partner may attend. Nominated support partners must wear a face mask at all times, maintain social distancing and use hand gel to clean their hands regularly.

Patient Advocacy Liaison Service (PALS)

Contact details Patient Advocacy Liaison Services, University Hospital Galway

Phone: 091 524 222

Smoke-free campus

All our hospitals are smoke-free campuses. Smoking is not allowed throughout the hospital and the hospital grounds. Supports available to give up smoking

Feedback

Your feedback is important to us. It helps us to improve our services. Please let us know about your experience. How you can make a comment,compliment or complaint

Freedom of Information

You can access your records and amend personal information under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act. More information on making a request under FOI are available on the HSE website