Smoking ban plan for outside wards
Patients on mental health wards in Leicestershire could soon be banned from smoking in the grounds of the wards.
Bosses at the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, who run mental and community health services, are looking at ways of introducing a smoke-free policy across all its sites.
However, they have promised they will take account of staff and patient views.
John Short, the trust's chief executive, said: "The detail of this policy has not yet been agreed and we will be taking into account views from staff and patients from across the trust, as well as speaking with other trusts which have already implemented a smoke free policy.
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"We know that for some people stopping smoking is a huge challenge and an added stress in its own right."
Linda Walker, 63, from Ratby, who is due to be discharged from the Bradgate Unit, on the Glenfield Hospital site, in a few weeks, is against any ban.
She said: "People will only be able to have a cigarette if a member of staff takes them further away. A lot of people here are trying to detox from drink or drugs and to have to stop smoking as well will be very difficult for them."
5 Comments
by suffolkpunch
Tuesday, January 29 2013, 8:40AM
“NHS hospitals are bought and paid for by the public and are therefore public property.”
by TrishK7
Tuesday, January 29 2013, 8:13AM
“How can the grounds of a hospital be a public place. Surely it belongs to the hospital?”
by suffolkpunch
Monday, January 28 2013, 4:42PM
“NHS Trust hospitals cannot ban smoking in their grounds, because smoking is not illegal in open public places.”
by menshivik
Monday, January 28 2013, 12:49PM
“Forbidding smoking within the grounds must be accompanied by helping patients to stop with one to one sessions otherwise its just another stick to beat vunerable patients with”
by TrishK7
Monday, January 28 2013, 12:25PM
“How do they aim to stop mental patients from smoking when hospitals cannot stop patients, visitors or staff from smoking in their grounds? If security staff remind people that smoking is not allowed on the hospital premises they just get a load of abuse.
And who can blame visitors for moaning about not being allowed to smoke when they can look around and see staff members hanging outside exits smoking?”