Smoking to be banned anywhere on Kettering Hospital site from next week
For many years the hospital has not allowed smoking on its wards – or anywhere inside its buildings – by patients, visitors or staff.
Smoking outside hospital buildings has been restricted to smoking shelters away from hospital entrances.
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Hide AdBut from June 6, the hospital is enacting a new smoke-free policy which will not allow smoking anywhere on its grounds – including outside hospital buildings.
Kettering General Hospital’s deputy director of human resources, Sue Newing, who has been overseeing the Smoke Free project, said: “Part of our five-year strategy is for the hospital to make a larger contribution to improving public health and well-being.
“Work on this has already begun and has included the introduction of a new NHS Stop Smoking Service on our wards to help patients who want to give up.
“The next logical step for us seemed to be officially ending all smoking on our site while at the same time encouraging people to take up stop smoking services to improve their health and well-being.”
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Hide AdPart of the stop smoking initiative has involved asking children who have been admitted to our children’s ward in recent weeks to design stop smoking posters for a display in our main reception.
The trust is also putting in place signs across the site before June 6.
Sue said: “In this day and age I think most people would expect a hospital to be entirely smoke free and we would agree entirely.
“So we are removing our existing smoking shelters and our staff will be advising patients and visitors of the change in coming weeks.
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Hide Ad“We very much hope that the public will get behind our initiative and not smoke anywhere in our grounds.
“We also very much hope that existing smokers will consider quitting to improve their own health.
“Today there is an enormous amount of support, advice, and nicotine replacement treatments that can really help people to kick the habit for good.”
The Northamptonshire First for Wellbeing Stop Smoking Service offers free, confidential and expert advice for smokers wanting to quit.
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Hide AdFor more details call 0300 1265700 to find out about a stop smoking clinic to suit your needs.
The service is completely free and professional advisors will develop a quit program that’s tailored to each individual with practical advice on medication, quit-tips from experts and prescriptions for nicotine replacement therapies.