"Leighton Hospital feels like 'smoker central'"

Smoking on Trust premises is a challenge and the Health and Safety Committee regularly discuss this topic and look at what more can be done to improve the situation. The Trust Policy is that smoking is not permitted in any of Trust premises or close to them ( which includes entrances). All staff are encouraged to challenge persons found smoking in non-permitted areas on Trust sites (the only permitted areas for visitors and staff are the designated smoking shelters on the Leighton Hospital site). The Trust has no smoking signs displayed across the Trust sites and has a small leaflet which gets handed out by staff to those found smoking in non-designated areas ( this displays the map of the Leighton site and the location of the three shelters which are on the perimeter of the site). There is a dedicated ‘Stop Smoking Adviser’ on site who supports inpatients during their stay with a range of Nicotine Replacement Therapies made available to them and staff who want to quit. The Trust reviews its policy on smoking on an annual basis (compared to the standard three yearly reviews on other policies) as it recognises that the issue remains challenging and the Trust will continue to work hard to try to request compliance from visitors to the site. Wendy Astle-Rowe, Health and Safety Lead