NHS Highland Bans All Smoking On Premises
A smoking ban comes into force today across all NHS Highland grounds, car parks, and outdoor areas.
NHS Highland will have smoke-free grounds across all sites from today.
As part of the Scotland-wide initiative, the smoke-free policy aims to guarantee that everyone who enters NHS Highland premises, vehicles and grounds, has the right to breathe air that is free of tobacco smoke.
NHS Highland consultant breast surgeon Nick Abbot said: “Although this may prove a challenging policy for some to abide by, the long term health benefits for staff, patients and visitors justify this approach.
“Support will be available for anyone who finds this difficult, particularly people who smoke heavily admitted as an emergency.
“As an organisation we should always look at health promotion and disease prevention as important areas to support in addition to treating illness.
“I am delighted to see the board moving even further to reduce the negative impact of smoking on health.”
The smoke-free grounds forms part of wider work set out in the Scottish Government’s ‘Creating a tobacco-free generation’ strategy, which has seen local efforts to raise awareness that will be supported by a National media campaign in March.
Sheila Duffy, chief executive or ASH Scotland – an organisation aimed at bringing about a healthier nation – said: “The policy of smoke-free hospital grounds sends a message that tobacco is an enemy of good health.
“Hospitals see so much misery caused by smoking and are rightly keen to discourage the use of tobacco.
“People need advice and support to manage their addiction to it.
“We realise it’s not always easy to monitor smoking in these locations – or to take action.
“It’s important that staff are on hand to give advice and support about quitting tobacco as well as to remind people of the policy over smoke-free grounds.”
While smoke-free grounds should have been in place since January 2008 this is not always being followed, with the biggest problem being on the grounds of Raigmore Hospital.
The aim is to bring in the ban in February this year to allow any issues to be resolved before the ban formally comes into place in March.
Mary Squires, member of the Raigmore Patient Council, said: “As members we have discussed the issues and are fully behind the move to bring in smoke-free grounds.
“As a health care provider the organisation must set an example and do all it can to discourage and support people to kick this harmful habit.”