St Luke's General Hospital Kilkenny

Hospital Group: Ireland East Hospital Group

Parking

Parking is available on site.

The public car park is situated to the rear of the hospital, and the car park entrance/exit has a one way system. All traffic, with the exception of emergencies, must use Entrance 1 (the entrance closest to the Car Park). The daily fee is €4. The first 30 minutes parking is free.

Any visitors who are visiting on more that one occasion during a day should pay the initial €4 and then proceed to the Security Office where a ‘multi-pass’ will be given. A barrier system is in operation; please take a ticket on entering the car park.

There are designated areas for drivers with a disability and to park here, a relevant parking permit must be displayed. There are also ‘Age Friendly’ parking spaces available close to the main hospital entrance. The hospital grounds must be freely accessible at all times for ambulance/ emergency services traffic. It is important that you park in the designated areas only.

All vehicles are parked at owners’ risk. Do not park on double yellow lines.

There are set down only spaces at the North Entrance.

Please note there are external clampers in operation in St. Luke’s General Hospital and cars parked in non designated areas may be clamped (release fee €100).

Visiting Hours

Due to increased infection control measures required at this time for Covid 19, St. Luke’s General Hospital will be temporarily suspending hospital visiting effective immediately except for those visiting the maternity unit and exceptional circumstances as determined by each ward manager.

Please see the following restrictions that are currently in place.

Visiting Restrictions

Maternity unit remains unchanged.

• Partners can attend EPAU.
• Partners can attend booking ultrasound.
• Partners can attend high risk ante natal clinic visits based on an individual case by case basis with previous agreement.
• Partners can attend during the day if a woman is being induced or in early labour on the maternity ward.
• Partners can attend during the day if a woman is being induced or in early labour on the maternity ward
• Partners can attend when woman in labour ward.
• Partners can attend for Caesarean Section.
• Partners can attend 10-12 and 6-8 daily.
• Parents can attend the SCBU by pre arranged appointments.
• Outside of these times, sensitive cases will be discussed with the couple on an individual basis.

Exceptional Circumstances

Visiting will only be allowed in exceptional circumstances such as:

• End of life non Covid-19 patient, two nominated relatives only.
• End of life Covid-19 Patient, one nominated relative utilising correct PPE, hand hygiene, IPC advice etc only.
• Critically ill patient, two nominted relatives only.
• One parent only will be allowed visit children in the Paediatric Unit at any time
• Children should not visit the hospital.
• The situation will be reviewed on an on-going basis and any further changes will be advised.

There are a number of Covid and non Covid-19 patients presenting to the ED. We ask the public to consider their care options, if possible. Please consult with your GP or pharmacist before attending ED in St Luke’s General Hospital. However, if urgent care is required, patients should attend the hospital.

We advise patients to only attend the hospital ED if absolutely necessary and to not bring children (unless the children are ill).

St Luke’s General Hospital would like to assure people that anyone seriously injured or ill will be assessed and treated as a priority.

We’d also like to remind the general public that anyone who is experiencing Covid-19 like symptoms (see below) to please contact their GP in the first instance. Please avoid coming directly to ED if you feel you might need to be treated for Covid-19 or you wish to have a test.

Getting an early diagnosis from your GP means you can get the help you need and take steps to avoid spreading the virus, if you have it.

Covid 19 symptoms

Fever (high temperature, 38 degrees Celsius or above)

• A new cough. This can be any kind of cough.
• Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties    .
• Loss or change to your sense of smell or taste. This means you've noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal     .

Restaurants

The Zen Café, which is located in the main concourse (south entrance), is open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday excluding Bank Holidays. Saturday opening hours are 10am to 6pm. Sunday closed.

Vending machines

There are vending machines in the ED, AMAU and X-Ray waiting areas.

Shop

Sweet Times is located adjacent to the Outpatients Reception Area and is open Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm and Sunday 10am to 3pm.

Internet Access

The patient/visitor wifi can be accessed through Eir Guest in the wifi settings on your mobile/smart device by clicking Connect. Access to the internet browser will require every patient/visitor to then log in using their name and their own email address on the HSE Free WiFi Service page.

Pastoral Care

Everyone is welcome to visit the Oratory near the main entrance for prayer or meditation. Roman Catholic priests and Church of Ireland ministers are available day or night. Arrangements can be made for visits by other denominations. You are free to make arrangements with your own clergyman to call, if you prefer.

The current Roman Catholic Mass times at St. Luke’s are as follows:

Weekday mass times

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 10am in St Luke’s Oratory. No Mass on Thursday

Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament takes place every Wednesday from 10.15am to 11.15am and every Friday from 10.15am to 4.30pm. Both periods of Adoration conclude with a short communal prayer.

Patients at the hospital are welcome to attend the ceremonies listed above. It is always necessary to inform a staff member on your ward that you intend going to the Oratory.

Weekend mass times

Saturday evening at 8pm in St Luke’s Oratory Sunday Morning Mass at 9am in St Luke’s Oratory Sunday Morning Mass at 11am in the Department of Psychiatry (DOP) The Oratory is open 24/7 for all patients and their families to visit.

Also, our Chaplaincy Department provides a daily Communion distribution service to all wards. This commences each week day at 10.15am and on Sunday at 9.45am.

Patient Advocacy Liaison Service (PALS)

If you want to make a suggestion to help us improve a service, if you want to compliment a service or staff member or if you are unhappy with the treatment received, we welcome your feedback. With this in mind, St. Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny has adhered to the ‘Policy and Procedure for the Management of Consumer Feedback, to include Comments, Compliments and Complaints’, the emphasis of which is the swift resolution of most complaints at local level where possible. If you are not satisfied with the service or if you feel improvements could be made, please contact the staff involved immediately so they can try to resolve the issue or, if you feel the issue is of a more serious nature, you should contact the Head of Department or General Manager. Further details are available in a pamphlet titled ’Your Service, Your Say’ available on the wards. Our Patient Liaison Officer is Ms. Alison Mulloney 056 778 5311. Our Access Officers provide accessible services to patients and clients with disabilities. Our Access Officers are Eleanor Moore 056 771 7104 and Alison Mulloney 056 778 5311.

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