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Care Opinion

Smoking at hospital entrance

Posted By NoSmoking

"Smoking at hospital entrance"

About: Glasgow Royal Infirmary

(as a service user),

Every visit we are faced with walking through smokers at the entrance of hospitals. This is not healthy, pleasant or fair. We have a child who has asthma attacks when exposed to such pollutants and it’s disgusting to have to push a child through a cloud of smoke just to get to an appointment for their health. The staff and patients health is important.

I raised my complaint with the hospital who shared my frustration on the matter, but as it is not law, they have limited power to stop smokers smoking at the entrances of hospitals and when staff do ask people to move on, they are faced with abuse.

This is unacceptable. I feel this needs to be written into law somehow, hospitals are places for health to improve not worsen. It’s supposed to be a safe place for patients and children, it should not be a place to be exposed to second hand smoke.

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Responses

Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 3 years ago
We are preparing to make a change
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Submitted on 22/10/2020 at 13:21
Published on Care Opinion at 16:35

picture of Nicole McInally

Dear No Smoking

Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying. I completely understand your frustrations and concerns regarding smoking at hospital entrances especially as a parent of a child with asthma.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has a Smoke Free Policy which advocates no smoking anywhere on the hospital campus. However, there are unfortunately a number of challenges in enforcing this. At this moment in time it is not illegal for people to smoke outside and although we do monitor the situation and challenge people, some individuals do not adhere to the smoke free policy, and on occasions we have experienced threatening behaviour.

We will continue to monitor the situation and will challenge anyone who is seen smoking, we will also review the signage in place and can increase this if necessary.

Kind Regards

Anne MacLeod

Site Facilities Manager - Glasgow Royal Infirmary

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