Care Opinion

Text size

Theme

Language

Videos in BSL or ISL
Help with language translation
Help with reading or listening

Main Entrance smokers - Disgusted!

Posted By carteruk1

"Main Entrance smokers - Disgusted!"

About: Crosshouse Hospital / Respiratory medicine

(as a relative),

My father received excellent care in ward 3B, the staff were excellent.

He was discharged today and dropped at the front door to wait on us collecting him. He has COPD and had been admitted following a collapse and bad chest infection. My father's COPD is toward end stage and to be met with plummet upon plummet of smoke at the front main entrance and unable to get away from it as he remained indoors is disgusting and paints an extremely poor image for an excellent health board .

This is by no means getting at staff in the hospital as I am aware these people could be difficult to challenge but when this is a hospital and people are not in the best health then surely something can be done to put a stop to this. 

More about:
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Pamela Gibson, Patient Experience Facilitator, Nursing, NHS Ayrshire and Arran 16 months ago
Pamela Gibson
Patient Experience Facilitator, Nursing,
NHS Ayrshire and Arran

Monitor stories and provide administration for NHS Ayrshire & Arran

Submitted on 17/06/2024 at 15:59
Published on Care Opinion at 15:59

picture of Pamela Gibson

Dear carteruk1,

Thank your for taking the time to provide feedback on your recent healthcare experience.

I have shared your concerns with my colleagues in Public Health and they have responded as follows:

"Thank you for bringing your concerns to our attention about smoking on NHS Grounds and in particular related to people smoking and vaping at the entrance to University Hospital Crosshouse.

Up until 2022 our NHS Smoke Free Grounds Policies did not have any associated legislation. Despite this being introduced as a new law in The Prohibition of Smoking outside Hospital Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2022, it remains difficult for NHS staff to enforce as we have no legal powers to impose fines or deter smokers from smoking on site.

The enforcement of the new law would normally be carried out by Environment Health Officers who are able to impose on the spot fines. However, how often they monitor the situation at University Hospital Crosshouse is out with our control. Despite our best efforts, we are unable to stop members of the public who refuse our requests to refrain from smoking or vaping, as there are no sanctions we can bring.

It is important that the public are informed about the legislation, policy and are offered smoking cessation advice, and to this end all patients in our wards who smoke are referred to our smoking cessation team. We also periodically put out information about the policy via media and social media and we have an information stall monthly in the foyer to bring attention to the policy and the smoking cessation service.

We are currently reviewing our Smoke Free Policy and are planning to work more closely with Environmental Health Officers at East Ayrshire Council. This is a very frustrating issue for the NHS and we are doing all we can with the resources we have to deter smokers from doing so on site."

Kind Regards

Pamela

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k