Does any of your Trusts actively discourage and police a 'no smoking policy' within the grounds of their hospitals?
We have a problem with patients and visitors congrigating around the entrances to our buildings to have a fag or two. We have numerous signs, strategically placed, at our building entrances indicating that smoking is prohibited within the grounds of the hospital - some smokers can be ignorant and selfish.
I am told that our Trust has no powers, in law or otherwise, to stop people from smoking within its grounds??
In my opinion, at the very least, smoking around the hospital buildings entrances should not be allowed - myself and Joe public have to walk through secoundhand smoke everytime that we need to enter or leave a building. Plus, it's not a very good image, I would have thought, for any medical establishment to promote.

Cheers
Mark

Hi Mark

It is now a National policy for all Trusts in England that no smoking is allowed in the Trust's grounds.
However, as with other government "initiatives", they don't think it through with regard to how it's going to be policed.
Our Fire officer was asked if he could organise a team to police the grounds for smokers, his reply was that he liked his face the way it was, thank you.

The smoking in enclosed public space ban extends around the entrance and exit of a building by a few meters (not sure of the exact number, but I thinks its 3 meters).
Our trust has a "smoke free site" policy, but it is not enforced, they have even modified the external smoking shelters to fall inline with the law of enclosed spaces.

PaulKWJ,

Does your Trust provide onsite smoking shelters for staff and the public?
My Trust does not permit staff to smoke anywhere on its property which CAN be policed - smoke onsite, find another employer!
Secondhand cigerette smoke is hazardous to health,so, I think that the COSHH card may have to be played.

Cheers
Mark

A memo was sent around awhile back (roughly 6 months ago) informing staff this trust was a no smoking site.
I can only guess the shelters are for patients and visitors!!
There is a similar policy in force here and off site staff are not to been seen smoking whilst in "uniform".

Quitting smoking is hazardous to health.... I wouldnt recommend anyone trying to quit. Ive never been so unhappy and ill in all my life!!

I don't smoke, but I'm not anti-smoking.
The government brings out this legislation without thinking through the full implications of it.
Smoking in enclosed spaces is illegal - this is to prevent employees from sueing their employers.
It looks like cigarette smoke is going to added to the COSHH Register, so by default, smoking in open spaces will also be banned.

Cheers
Mark

A hospiital trust has the right to say what can and cannot be done on its property, the same as we can say if we want people to smoke in our house or not, so it does not need any legislation to ban smoking.
If shelters are " substantially enclosed " they are enclosed spaces under then smoking ban so people cannot smoke in them.
Roughly speaking if it has more that one side and a roof it is an enclosed space.
We have lots of people standing around under the cover of the front entrance smoking. But as they are standing in front of the no smoking signs other people cannot see them so cannot be blamed for smoking there.
Robert

Incorrect Rojo. The government put out a paper entitled "Better Health" which said that by December 2006 ALL Trusts in England would become smoke free.

They have to have the NHS smoke free if they want Joe public to quit smoking! A little contradictory if they don’t......

The ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces, the government have in place a little clause which entitles them to make smoking illegal in any public open space at anytime they feel.
Dictatorship??
tut tut (insert dictator name) is alive and well in (political/country name).

Now, here's a real surprise!