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"This hospital is not smoke free"

About: William Harvey Hospital (Ashford) / Accident and emergency

(as other),

Yesterday I experienced the same that has been said before. My wife had to go to the Urgent Care Unit at A& E. With no next of kin or relatives allowed in due to Covid. I waited at the William Harvey Statue seated area and car park for 6 and half hours. I was appalled that with all the "No Smoking" signage and "No Smoking on Hospital Property" there were hundreds of people during my time waiting puffing away on fags. Even patients coming out to have a ciggie. One guy sat in his wheelchair and chain smoked for 2 hours right next to the main entrance. Security did nothing as if it just another day. Maybe they don't have powers to enforce the the No Smoking rule. Even staff were puffing away. It is blatant disregard for health of all and the Hospital Trust who seem powerless to prevent it.

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Responses

Response from East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust 2 years ago
East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Submitted on 01/06/2021 at 18:23
Published on Care Opinion at 18:23


Thank you for contacting Care Opinion regarding smoking outside the William Harvey Hospital. Regrettably, as you surmised, the Trust are unable to enforce the no smoking and rely on patient's and relatives to respect this. The laws pertaining to smoking in public only cover the interior areas of the hospital.

We will ask our communications department to please send out a message underlining to staff the hospital is a no smoking zone and they can be reported if they do not adhere to this.

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