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15/05/2003
Agency urges hospitals to stub out smoking
The Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland has urged local hospitals to unite in banning all smoking from their buildings following the news that Altnagelvin provides smoking rooms for staff and patients.
Expressing his disappointment about the provision of smoking rooms in Altnagelvin Hospital buildings, Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the Health Promotion Agency said he was surprised to hear that the Hospital had not taken a clear stand against smoking as it is a member of the World Health Organisation Health Promoting Hospitals network.
He added: "We are hopeful that over time a ban will be introduced on smoking in all public places. We would be keen to see hospitals and health professionals, familiar with the devastating consequences of smoking, taking a lead in encouraging no-smoking to become the norm.
"It is wrong to accept smoking in hospitals where people are admitted for treatment usually for disease caused, or made worse, by this habit. We in the Health Promotion Agency would be keen to work with anyone to achieve a cultural shift in expectations so that people understand that hospitals are places where smoking is never tolerated.”
Dr Gaffney said people should not be facilitated in continuing an addictive habit on site when this habit would lead, not only to damaging their own health but also costs the health service millions due to sickness absence.
"It is encouraging that the Trust is committed to working towards having a completely smoke-free environment. We would urge health service staff, patients, visitors and the public to support this hospital and all hospitals in their endeavours to do what they can to make smoking in such places a thing of the past," he concluded
(MB)
Expressing his disappointment about the provision of smoking rooms in Altnagelvin Hospital buildings, Dr Brian Gaffney, Chief Executive of the Health Promotion Agency said he was surprised to hear that the Hospital had not taken a clear stand against smoking as it is a member of the World Health Organisation Health Promoting Hospitals network.
He added: "We are hopeful that over time a ban will be introduced on smoking in all public places. We would be keen to see hospitals and health professionals, familiar with the devastating consequences of smoking, taking a lead in encouraging no-smoking to become the norm.
"It is wrong to accept smoking in hospitals where people are admitted for treatment usually for disease caused, or made worse, by this habit. We in the Health Promotion Agency would be keen to work with anyone to achieve a cultural shift in expectations so that people understand that hospitals are places where smoking is never tolerated.”
Dr Gaffney said people should not be facilitated in continuing an addictive habit on site when this habit would lead, not only to damaging their own health but also costs the health service millions due to sickness absence.
"It is encouraging that the Trust is committed to working towards having a completely smoke-free environment. We would urge health service staff, patients, visitors and the public to support this hospital and all hospitals in their endeavours to do what they can to make smoking in such places a thing of the past," he concluded
(MB)
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