Smoker hit by bus after ban puts her on footpath

An investigation is under way after a Waikato Hospital mental health patient was struck by a bus following a smoking ban that forced her to light up on the footpath outside the hospital grounds.

The 50-year-old patient was struck about 10am on Wednesday in front of the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre, just two weeks after a smoking ban was introduced there.

She suffered minor injuries and was later discharged.