The Women's and Children's Hospital is "escalating" efforts to stop smokers gathering near one of its entrances, after a series of complaints from families with sick children.

While there are signs asking people not to light up near the children's entrance on Kermode Street, families say they are being inundated by a cloud of smoke when they arrive.

Amie Cottrell made a written complaint to the hospital after visiting several times with her children.

"Just going across the pedestrian crossing you've got no choice but to walk through cigarette smoke," she said.

"It was a health risk and it made me worried about other children."

Bins for cigarette butts are attached to signs metres from the hospital's main entrance and the pedestrian crossing connecting the carpark.

Ms Cottrell said they attracted smokers to the area instead of deterring them.

"Even though you've got the no smoking signs there, smokers have only got that one place to put out their cigarettes," she said.

Ms Cottrell vented her frustration on social media and attracted hundreds of comments from people sharing her concerns.

"Some people said their children were on oxygen machines and they had to walk through the smoke just to get to their appointments," she said.

"There are people with children with asthma, cancer, respiratory problems, or other breathing problems.

"It's not a dig at smokers, but I don't think it's appropriate for families with sick children to walk through there."

Ms Cottrell said a smoking ban should be implemented along the street.

The Women's and Children's Hospital has received complaints from the public about smoking. ( Flickr: Raul Lieberwirth )

The hospital's executive director of corporate services Phil Robinson said after a series of complaints from members of the public, the hospital was planning to "escalate" its response to try and keep smokers away.

"We are looking at removing those ash trays and putting them elsewhere and away from the actual perimeter of the hospital," he said.

"We've [also] got some children working on some messages about the impact that smoking has on them and we're looking at putting those signs up as you leave the car park.

"We're currently working with the Adelaide City Council to see where we may be able to set up a designated [smoking] area on the [Kermode Street] side.

"I expect that a number of these strategies will be implemented in the next couple of months."

He said the hospital was reliant on cooperation from the Adelaide City Council because the footpath outside the hospital was in the council's jurisdiction.

He also said the hospital wanted to avoid "policing" the area, to prevent potential arguments with members of the public.

"So what we're hoping is to appeal to the better nature of the public to think this might be an area where there are sick children or women and babies who don't want to be breathing in smoke as they walk into the hospital."