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Cigarette butts on hospital grounds

Posted By Cleanup

"Cigarette butts on hospital grounds"

About: Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow

(as the patient),

Hi I am so disappointed in the lack of bins around and inside the new hospital grounds, if there is nowhere for people to put their rubbish then it s going to end up on the ground. Also the amount of cigarette ends that is accumulating is awful everywhere you look there is cigarette butts. The hospital I used to attend before in the Midlands ( Birmingham) introduced smoking shelters in the hospital grounds to avoid this, and it worked. The public and the staff would use the shelters. As long as there is enough of them darted throughout the hospital grounds I don't see why this would not work here at the Queen Elizabeth, it s such a shame that the beautiful grounds is spoilt by rubbish and cigarette buts lying all over the place..

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Responses

Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 6 years ago
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Submitted on 01/06/2017 at 14:42
Published on Care Opinion at 15:08

picture of Nicole McInally

Dear Clean Up

Thank you for your comments regarding the lack of bins and the cigarette butts at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital.

I will share you post with my Facilities colleague’s and ask that they respond to the issues you have raised.

Kind Regards

Nicole

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Response from Nicole McInally, Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde 6 years ago
Nicole McInally
Patient Experience and Public Involvement Project Manager, PEPI,
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

Submitted on 05/06/2017 at 13:53
Published on Care Opinion at 13:54

picture of Nicole McInally

Dear Cleanup,

Thank you for posting your comment.

The number and location of bins within the buildings and the grounds will be reviewed to ensure that we have sufficient and that they are located in the correct places. Unfortunately, we do experience that rubbish is deposited on the ground, next to, or near to, an empty bin.

We have Grounds and Garden contractors on site (Monday to Sunday) picking up litter, including cigarette ends, three times per day, to prevent an accumulation of cigarette butts.

Smoking on hospital grounds is not acceptable and directly contravenes the Board’s policy; however, there are unfortunately a number of challenges in enforcing this that are inherent across the QEUH campus, and indeed our other sites.

Despite clear signage throughout each hospital, the issuing of guidance notes and smoke detectors on some of our sites, we have not been able to fully prevent smoking at hospital entrances.

All staff are encouraged to request that patients and visitors refrain from smoking in the grounds and our Facilities Department regularly carry out ad hoc patrols in various areas throughout the hospital to ask smokers to refrain from doing so. This has unfortunately met with limited success as, while a number of people co-operate when asked, regrettably, the majority of people do not, and in some cases have demonstrated threatening behaviour.

In 2013, the Scottish Government launched a new tobacco control strategy that contained a specific action that 'all NHS Boards will implement and enforce smoke-free grounds by March 2015'. Smoke-free status includes the removal of any designated smoking areas and shelters in NHS Board buildings or grounds. As such, we are not able to introduce shelters as per your suggestion.

I hope the above addresses the comments you have raised.

Kind Regards

Mandy Machell, Deputy Site Facilities Manager – Business

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