Smokers face new sanctions

A Royal Oldham Hospital patient smoking outside the hospital entrance

SMOKERS outside the Royal Oldham Hospital could be forced to stub out their cigs following plans to create new non-smoking exclusion areas outside hospital entrances.

Patients and visitors are regularly seen smoking in all weather conditions at the doors to the The Royal Oldham Hospital, some lighting up while in their dressing gowns and holding drip stands.

Now the Pennine Acute Trust, which runs hospitals in Oldham, Rochdale, Bury and North Manchester, is looking to establish new non-smoking exclusion areas on all its sites.

A Trust spokesman said: “The Trust is to create and enforce new non-smoking exclusion areas outside its hospital entrances in the new year.

“These areas will be clearly marked by diagonal red surface lines (hatched markings).”

He said the non-smoking areas were one of a range of measures being considered to discourage smoking at hospital entrances.

Details on how they would be enforced were still being considered.

Doctors are now asking patients and visitors to give up smoking, especially outside doorways and on hospital grounds.

Dr Sally Bradley, deputy medical director at The Pennine Acute Trust, said: “Smoking at hospital entrances is not only unsightly and unpleasant for people who have to walk through a cloud of smoke to gain access to our hospitals, but it is causing increased litter and is a serious fire risk and health hazard.

“We are asking smokers to be considerate and move well away from the hospital buildings to smoke, ideally off the hospital grounds.

“Both patients and visitors are asked not to smoke at our entrances.

“As well as helping make our hospitals a cleaner and safer environment, the benefits of quitting smoking includes reducing the risk of developing illness or death caused by cancer, heart or lung disease.

“It also protects the health of those around you by not exposing them to second-hand smoke.”

The Trust will also launch a new poster and marketing campaign in the next few months to educate people about its no-smoking policy and the health dangers of smoking.

And from Saturday (1), smokers will be given coupons as part of “Quit Kits” to swap for a week trial of patches as millions try to give up in the new year.

Find your nearest NHS Stop Smoking Service or order your free NHS Smokefree Quit Kit online at www.smokefree.nhs.uk or call 0800 022 4332.