Smoke Free set to go live
Categories: 2006 Media Releases
Smoke Free set to go live
Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust’s Smoke Free campaign is set to go live in just three days - Monday 1 January 2007.
The campaign, launched on 1 November, is encouraging patients, visitors and staff to help keep their hospitals healthy and not smoke anywhere on the premises or within 15 metres of Peterborough District, Edith Cavell or Stamford hospitals - particularly around the main entrances.
The smoking ban also includes hospital car parks and it has been brought in to meet the government’s requirement that all NHS organisations are completely smoke free by the 1 January 2007 and also in anticipation of the new law on smoking in public places from July 2007.
The Trust has had a No Smoking policy in place since 1997, but it has introduced some new measures to ensure it is now completely smoke free. These include removing staff smoking shelters, creating the 15 metre smoke free zone around the hospital sites and introducing talking signs to remind people that the Trust and its grounds are now smoke free. The Trust is also providing help and advice to patients and staff on either quitting smoking or how to manage their smoking habit while at hospital. It has been working closely with the Peterborough Quit Smoking (PQS) organisation.
The Trust’s Smoke Free champions, Christine Tolond, Director of Human Resources, and Christine Wilkinson, Director of Nursing, said: “We hope that people who use their local hospitals will make a New Year’s resolution and will wait until they are at least 15 metres away before lighting a cigarette.
“We are not telling people they should not smoke, but to think about where they smoke. We are just asking that they spare a thought for others and help keep their hospitals healthy by choosing to smoke away from the buildings and entrances.
“Hospitals are a community resource and we would like hospital users and visitors to help us keep our hospitals smoke free. If anyone sees somebody smoking on a hospital site we would ask that they politely remind them of the policy or inform a member of staff.”
Angela Bailey, Chief Executive of Peterborough Primary Care Trust (PCT), said, “This is a welcomed step forward by the Hospital Trust. Reducing the effects of smoke on the local population is one of our priorities. Whether we are supporting people to quit, or reducing the number of areas in and around the city where people breathe in second hand smoke.
“We cannot do this alone, any small changes local organisations can make between now, and when the legislation comes in next year, will make a big difference to people’s health.”
Peterborough Quit Smoking service can be contacted on 0800 376 5655.
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