The Hospital provides a number of facilities for patients and visitors. For more information on these services, please click on the links in the table below.
Banking Facility
An A.I.B. branch is located in the main entrance hall of the Hospital. Opening hours are:
Monday: 10.00am – 12.00pm, 1.00pm – 4.00pm
Tuesday: 10.00am – 12.00pm, 1.00pm – 4.00pm
Wednesday: 10.30am – 12.00pm, 1.00pm – 4.00pm
Thursday: 10.00am – 12.00pm, 1.00pm – 4.00pm
Friday: 10.00am – 12.00pm, 1.00pm – 4.00pm
An ATM machine is located beside the bank.
Bed and Breakfast
A list of B&Bs and hotels in the area is available at the main reception desk in the front hall. You can also find accommodation in the area by visiting www.visitdublin.com.
Canteens and Coffee Shops
Relatives and visitors are welcome to use any of our canteen/coffee shop facilities. The hospital canteen is currently under refurbishment but is scheduled to re-open by autumn 2011. There are a number of coffee shops in the Hospital selling teas, coffees and refreshments.
A shop located in the main entrance hall of the Hospital serves take-away teas and coffees, sandwiches and wraps, and confectionary. Opening hours are from 7.30am – 9.00pm.
The 'Oasis' coffee shop is located in the reception area of the main entrance hall.
The Coffee Dock - staffed by volunteers - is open from 9.30am - 4.00pm daily, and is located in the main entrance hall of the Hospital.
Take-away teas, coffees and sandwiches are also available from the coffee cart located on the second floor of the Hospital.
In the National Children’s Hospital, tea and coffee-making facilities are available.
Complaints
Please visit Your Comments section of the website.
Volunteer Library for Patients
A mobile library offering books on loan, free-of-charge, to patients passes through each ward three times a week. This service is provided by volunteers in the Hospital.
Mass Times/Pastoral Care
The Hospital offers patients the services of the Pastoral Care Team. The members of the ecumenical Pastoral Care Team are chaplains from four main Christian traditions. We also liaise with leaders of Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu and other faiths. Each chaplain serves as a member of the healing team working with all those who care for patients.
The Hospital Chapel is located on the ground floor. To request a chaplain, please ask the nurse on duty to make contact.
Mass Services and Liturgies in the Hospital Chapel
Sunday:
- 8.15am: Celebration of Mass for Staff members
- 9.30am: Celebration of Holy Communion - Church of Ireland, Methodist, Presbyterian and other Christian traditions
- 10.30am: Celebration of Mass for patients and families, followed by the Sacrament of the Sick for those who wish
Monday to Friday
- 1.30pm: Celebration of Mass. In addition, a variety of other Christian services are held as announced. Sacraments for the different traditions are available on request.
Roman Catholic Ministers of the Eucharist vist the wards:
- Sunday: after 10.30am Mass
- Wednesday: 10.30am (approx)
- Friday: 10.30am (approx)
Muslim prayer on a Friday takes place in the Quiet Room between 1.30pm and 2.00pm.
Meals (for patients)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea/coffee are served on the wards. A continental breakfast is served, while patients can select from a choice of four meals at lunch and five meals at dinner. Special dietary meals are also provided.
Please ask the ward staff if you are not sure what you are allowed to eat or drink.
To reduce the risk of patients contracting food-related illnesses, we ask you to check with staff in charge before bringing in food from outside.
Visitors are welcome to use any of our canteen or coffee shops.
Medicines
Any medicines that you need will be provided on the ward. If you bring any medicines with you from home, please hand them to staff. When in hospital, do not take any other medicines without the knowledge of your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. If you require medication when leaving the hospital, a prescription will be given to you before discharge.
We have pharmacists who will answer your questions and give you information about your medicines. Please ask us to explain if there is anything you don't understand.
Medical Certificates
Medical certificates, if required, should be obtained from a member of your Consultant’s team prior to discharge. Further medical certs for periods after your discharge should be obtained from your G.P.
Medical Record
For information on your medical record or patient confidentiality, please click here.
Parking
You can park your car in the multi-story car park. This is run by a private company. There is a charge for the use of this car park.
Car park charges:
- 0 -1 hour: €2.50
- 1 - 2 hours: €5.00
- 2 - 3 hours: €6.50
- 3 - 4 hours: €8.00
- 4 - 24 hours: €8.00
Note that these prices are correct as of March 2011 but are subject to change.
As we do not have the space to offer free parking to patients who have to stay in the hospital for a long period of time, we suggest that, where possible, you arrange with someone to bring you to and collect you from the hospital.
Paying Your Bill
If you need to pay a bill for your hospital stay our payment office is located on the ground floor. Go past the bank (visible from the main reception desk) and enter the corridor in front of you. Continue a short walk until you reach a closed door. Look to the right and you will see the payment office.
If you would like to contact the office in relation to your bill, you can ring the following numbers:
Accounts Received: (01) 414 3694
Medical Insurance: (01) 414 2017
Playroom
There is a supervised playroom available to patients in the National Children’s Hospital. It is open Monday to Friday from 10.00am – 1.00pm and from 2.00pm – 4.00pm.
Postal Service
Letters and parcels are delivered to the wards on a daily basis. Letters may be posted in the letter box in front of the main entrance doors to the hospital, or, if you are restricted to your bed, the ward clerks will post your letters. Postage stamps are available from the shop in the main entrance hall.
Radio
All patients will be able to receive some radio stations via the handset that is by their bedside.
School
Children who are hospitalised can avail of the hospital school. Run by the Department of Education, it is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 2:30pm during term time. A qualified primary teacher teaches in the school. School books are provided.
Security
The Hospital is monitored by CCTV cameras both internally and externally, 24 hours a day.
Security Officers manage traffic control and routinely patrol all areas of the buildings and grounds.
All security incidents, including items lost or found, should be reported to the Security Office in the main entrance hall.
Shop
The shop is located in the main entrance hall. The shop is open seven days a week from 7.30am to 9pm including bank holidays. This shop is not run by the Hospital. It is managed by a private company.
A paper trolley service is provided to the wards each morning and a sweet trolley service is provided in the afternoons.
Shopping Centre
Your visitors may like to know that the Square Shopping Centre is just a few minutes walk from the Hospital. The centre has many of the big shopping chains. For more information about the shops in the centre you can contact the centre on (01) 452 5944. There is also a petrol station and cinema located near the Centre.
Telephones
The Hospital's main telephone number is (01) 414 2000.
We also have a 'Direct Inward Dial' service. If you take the extension of your ward and place the prefix '414' before it, the incoming call will go through directly to your ward. A list of hospital phone numbers is available here.
As mobile phones can cause life support and diagnostic equipment to malfunction, we ask you not to use your mobile phones in areas where you see signs requesting that your phones be switched off.
Public payphones are located in the main reception area and on each floor for the use of patients and visitors. All these phones are coin/card operated.
Television
T.V. sets with remote controls providing a Cablelink service can be rented from a private company by patients in wards throughout the Hospital. The rental costs are:
Note that these costs are correct as of March 2011, but are subject to change. Most wards also have a communal TV room. Please have consideration for your fellow patients when using your T.V.
Volunteers
We have a group of volunteers who help in the hospital. They are involved in running the coffee shop in the main entrance, providing the mobile library to patients and some also help in the playroom under the direction of the Play Therapist. For further information please click Here
