Hospital smoking ban being flouted (From Thisisdorset)
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Hospital smoking ban being flouted
11:00am Saturday 15th September 2012 in Latest
By Rachel Stretton
STUB IT OUT: Elaine Cheeseman at Dorset County Hospital
HOSPITAL patients and visitors are having to walk through discarded cigarette butts as people flout a smoking ban, it is claimed.
Elaine Cheeseman, from Weymouth, noticed the litter when visiting a friend at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester .
She said: “It is just awful.
“It’s not just in that area, it’s all around the entrances and at the bus stop.
“Patients and visitors come to the hospital often feeling quite anxious and do not expect to have to deal with that.
“It smells and it looks disgusting.”
Smoking has been banned on the hospital grounds since 2006 in line with national policy.
But Mrs Cheeseman, 58, said she has seen people flouting the ban.
She said: “I’m an ex-smoker myself, and I know for a lot of people it’s an everyday part of their life. Stopping is not just switching out a light, and I’m aware that if patients are facing illnesses, they may want to smoke. You can’t deprive them of that.”
She added: “I was disgusted by the mess outside a hospital that clearly states in large writing that it is a smoke free zone.
“If smoking cannot be controlled, then would it not be preferable to return the cigarette and litter bins, or to provide a designated area, rather than having to walk through the disgusting mess that currently litters the walkways outside the hospital?”
“You are never going to stop people smoking, but if they are going to have a ban, they at least need to uphold it.”
A spokesman for Dorset County Hospital said cigarette butts are cleared on a regular basis as part of the hospital’s grounds clearance and maintenance programme.
She said: “Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the hospital site and we have renewed our efforts recently to spread the smoke-free message.
“We have every prominent signs throughout the site telling people they should not smoke anywhere in the hospital grounds.
“Staff are encouraged to approach anyone they find smoking and executive directors have been emphasising the message as part of their regular patient safety walkabouts.”
She added: “We are also doing a lot of work to support patients coming into hospital who smoke, by helping them give up beforehand or providing nicotine replacement therapy while they are in hospital.
“We have no plans to re-install the smoking shelters on the site.
“As a healthcare provider we cannot condone smoking in any way and will continue our efforts to encourage people to quit.”
For more information and help on stopping smoking, visit dorsetsmokestop.co.uk
Comments(49)
weymouthresident
says...
12:03pm Sat 15 Sep 12
Worse still, on several occasions, I've witnessed members of staff (sometimes nurses) smoking whilst sat next to the no smoking signs. No doubt they return to their patients stinking of cigarettes.
Come on DCH to something about it!
shy talk
says...
12:37pm Sat 15 Sep 12
chas
says...
12:40pm Sat 15 Sep 12
If the hospital was to reinstall the smoking shelter with litter bins, smokers would be able to put their cigarette ends in the bins.
Peter Gunn
says...
3:19pm Sat 15 Sep 12
val@ chickerell
says...
4:05pm Sat 15 Sep 12
recently while waiting for a bus a friend and i went to reception about this problem as we could not stand the smell at the bus stop. We were put through to the site manager who said "why should we clear this up". I do not agree with the smoking but in times of stress we all need a prop of some sort, there should be an area set aside as well as encouraging people to give it up.
clansman59
says...
7:07pm Sat 15 Sep 12
Crabber
says...
7:53pm Sat 15 Sep 12
gerbil112
says...
9:46pm Sat 15 Sep 12
gerbil112
says...
9:49pm Sat 15 Sep 12
chas wrote:Chas, see my post above. Smokers DO NOT use bins where provided. They either stub them out on top and leave them there, or tread under foot and leave them on the ground! Also, as it's a "public place" in your words, fine them for dropping litter. The same Law should apply as littering the streets.
Dorset County Hospital is an NHS Trust hospital which means that it is public property. Smoking is NOT illegal in open public areas so the hospital cannot ban smoking in its grounds.
If the hospital was to reinstall the smoking shelter with litter bins, smokers would be able to put their cigarette ends in the bins.
chas
says...
10:14pm Sat 15 Sep 12
People can be fined for dropping litter in hospital grounds by enviromental health officers.
ksmain
says...
8:52am Sun 16 Sep 12
chas wrote:I'll think you'll find that they can in just the same way as a pub or a train. Pubs are public places and smokers are banned, smokers go off their premises to smoke. The only difference is that hospitals have grounds, which are still their premises. And I agree with a site ban - after all how can an organisation whose primary goal is to improve peoples health tolerate something that does not on it's grounds? A conflict of interest surely?
Dorset County Hospital is an NHS Trust hospital which means that it is public property. Smoking is NOT illegal in open public areas so the hospital cannot ban smoking in its grounds.
If the hospital was to reinstall the smoking shelter with litter bins, smokers would be able to put their cigarette ends in the bins.
chas
says...
9:17am Sun 16 Sep 12
ksmain wrote:Did you know that one can smoke in a pub garden which is also part of the pub's property. We are talking about smoking in OPEN public areas.
chas wrote: Dorset County Hospital is an NHS Trust hospital which means that it is public property. Smoking is NOT illegal in open public areas so the hospital cannot ban smoking in its grounds. If the hospital was to reinstall the smoking shelter with litter bins, smokers would be able to put their cigarette ends in the bins.I'll think you'll find that they can in just the same way as a pub or a train. Pubs are public places and smokers are banned, smokers go off their premises to smoke. The only difference is that hospitals have grounds, which are still their premises. And I agree with a site ban - after all how can an organisation whose primary goal is to improve peoples health tolerate something that does not on it's grounds? A conflict of interest surely?
ksmain
says...
10:37am Sun 16 Sep 12
chas wrote:Yes I am aware.
ksmain wrote:Did you know that one can smoke in a pub garden which is also part of the pub's property. We are talking about smoking in OPEN public areas.
chas wrote: Dorset County Hospital is an NHS Trust hospital which means that it is public property. Smoking is NOT illegal in open public areas so the hospital cannot ban smoking in its grounds. If the hospital was to reinstall the smoking shelter with litter bins, smokers would be able to put their cigarette ends in the bins.I'll think you'll find that they can in just the same way as a pub or a train. Pubs are public places and smokers are banned, smokers go off their premises to smoke. The only difference is that hospitals have grounds, which are still their premises. And I agree with a site ban - after all how can an organisation whose primary goal is to improve peoples health tolerate something that does not on it's grounds? A conflict of interest surely?
But there are also signs up - and it still is hospital premises public accessed or not. And you must be aware of the rule to argue it here.
And it is also about respecting other peoples rules as well - otherwise why have rules? And how far is it to walk off the premises to a public highway?
chas
says...
10:57am Sun 16 Sep 12
ksmain wrote:It is only a policy and NOT a law. It is NOT illegal to smoke in OPEN public areas.
chas wrote:Yes I am aware. But there are also signs up - and it still is hospital premises public accessed or not. And you must be aware of the rule to argue it here. And it is also about respecting other peoples rules as well - otherwise why have rules? And how far is it to walk off the premises to a public highway?ksmain wrote:Did you know that one can smoke in a pub garden which is also part of the pub's property. We are talking about smoking in OPEN public areas.chas wrote: Dorset County Hospital is an NHS Trust hospital which means that it is public property. Smoking is NOT illegal in open public areas so the hospital cannot ban smoking in its grounds. If the hospital was to reinstall the smoking shelter with litter bins, smokers would be able to put their cigarette ends in the bins.I'll think you'll find that they can in just the same way as a pub or a train. Pubs are public places and smokers are banned, smokers go off their premises to smoke. The only difference is that hospitals have grounds, which are still their premises. And I agree with a site ban - after all how can an organisation whose primary goal is to improve peoples health tolerate something that does not on it's grounds? A conflict of interest surely?
Do you understand the difference between POLICY and LAW?
ksmain
says...
11:40am Sun 16 Sep 12
And how do you know why the rule exists. Could it be the hospital are not insured for people smoking on site in common with lots of insurance policies? I dont agree with a number of rules, but they are there and I respect them.
chas
says...
12:26pm Sun 16 Sep 12
ksmain
says...
12:56pm Sun 16 Sep 12
JamesYoung
says...
1:31pm Sun 16 Sep 12
shy talk wrote:A common argument, but I'm not sure it's correct. The number of days lost due to smoking is 34 million per year. You'd have to factor in the lost tax on that (or at least the cost to business) for starters. And then there is the impact on others - 17000 children admitted to hospital every year due to their parents smoking habits. Source: www.patient.co.uk.
You could argue that the smoker contributes by paying tax and duty to the government which a small percentage should go to the NHS. For example fifty grams of tobacco cost in the U.K. £16.50 of which £10.50 is tax and duty. The biggest burden on the NHS is the obesity problem this country has. So do we refuse people help and care who are obese and choose to continue to eat themselves to a early grave?
JamesYoung
says...
1:32pm Sun 16 Sep 12
JamesYoung wrote:Oh, and we should treat obese people. After long and considered research I changed my view on that. Nothing to do with a growing belly...
shy talk wrote:A common argument, but I'm not sure it's correct. The number of days lost due to smoking is 34 million per year. You'd have to factor in the lost tax on that (or at least the cost to business) for starters. And then there is the impact on others - 17000 children admitted to hospital every year due to their parents smoking habits. Source: www.patient.co.uk.
You could argue that the smoker contributes by paying tax and duty to the government which a small percentage should go to the NHS. For example fifty grams of tobacco cost in the U.K. £16.50 of which £10.50 is tax and duty. The biggest burden on the NHS is the obesity problem this country has. So do we refuse people help and care who are obese and choose to continue to eat themselves to a early grave?
ksmain
says...
1:40pm Sun 16 Sep 12
Say the hospital put in a bin so that people who dont want to adhere to the non-smoking policy, so people can put their rubbish in it. There will be a cost to the hospital of the bin, of emptying it, of disposing of the rubbish, of someone paying the external companies to provide the refuse collection services. Given that hospitals have finite budgets, would these people be happy for less patients to be treated more quickly?
markerpen
says...
4:35pm Sun 16 Sep 12
I think that smoking areas at the hospital need to be enforced as smoking is considered antisocial..even by many smokers..but this in this real life people still smoke.
I can also see there are a few people that have made comments who would like to start a voluntary group to police this, I think they need to be given guns or knives to ensure that people obey them.
As to self inflicted injury and whether the NHS should pay for it I imagine that most hopsital admissions are lifestyle related.
Esio Trot
says...
5:11pm Sun 16 Sep 12
For what it's worth, I am a smoker and have never had treatment or had a day off work for anything smoking related. I have less 'sick days' than most working people, in fact. I certainly cost my employer and the NHS a lot less than your average parent, junkie, alcoholic etc.
Esio Trot
says...
5:11pm Sun 16 Sep 12
For what it's worth, I am a smoker and have never had treatment or had a day off work for anything smoking related. I have less 'sick days' than most working people, in fact. I certainly cost my employer and the NHS a lot less than your average parent, junkie, alcoholic etc.
JamesYoung
says...
5:39pm Sun 16 Sep 12
chas
says...
8:02pm Sun 16 Sep 12
ksmain wrote:Who pays for the collection of all the other rubbish incuding the wrappings of fast foods sold by the hospital?
Going back to this article I think there is another point to be made here too. Say the hospital put in a bin so that people who dont want to adhere to the non-smoking policy, so people can put their rubbish in it. There will be a cost to the hospital of the bin, of emptying it, of disposing of the rubbish, of someone paying the external companies to provide the refuse collection services. Given that hospitals have finite budgets, would these people be happy for less patients to be treated more quickly?
it's me
says...
10:36pm Sun 16 Sep 12
Roger O.Thornhill
says...
7:25am Mon 17 Sep 12
Crabber wrote:But it was ok for you to pour scorn on Ed Hintze and his weight the other day on this very comment site wasn't it ? You hypocrite.
What a pair of Clowns Weymouth Resident and Shay Talk are. FFS EWy Rs it is not a Police State yet and as for your comments Shi*t Hawk have you ever considered that obesity could be caused by an underlying medical problem?.A friend of mines wife weighed in at 29 stone and when she fell pregnant she had an ultrasound Scan and they found a growth which when removed weighed in at nearly 14 stone,so it was not caused by 'Eating Herself to Death'. I recently had a major operation and have been inactive for just over 2 years I have put on nearly 4 stone as I am confined to the house most of the time and I do excersize's. I now fall into the obese catagory, but I eat a special diet , so your theory blown out of the water Idiots the Pair of you
billylovesweymouth
says...
8:48am Mon 17 Sep 12
cj07589
says...
10:24am Mon 17 Sep 12
Peter Gunn wrote:Completely agree, dirty disgusting habit. You also have love the irony of smoking outside a hospital too....lack of common sense perhaps?
Stupid people with a senseless addiction!
If you need support to quit, I highly recommend Allen Carr's book it will save you a fortune and stop smelling like an ash tray too.
3rdAccount
says...
3:52pm Mon 17 Sep 12
shy talk wrote:YES!
You could argue that the smoker contributes by paying tax and duty to the government which a small percentage should go to the NHS. For example fifty grams of tobacco cost in the U.K. £16.50 of which £10.50 is tax and duty. The biggest burden on the NHS is the obesity problem this country has. So do we refuse people help and care who are obese and choose to continue to eat themselves to a early grave?
cj07589
says...
6:24pm Mon 17 Sep 12
Desk24
says...
7:08pm Mon 17 Sep 12
maximan
says...
7:32pm Mon 17 Sep 12
ksmain
says...
8:01pm Mon 17 Sep 12
chas
says...
9:48pm Mon 17 Sep 12
ksmain wrote:Second hand smoke will cause far less harm than all the the fumes from the traffic coming and going into the car park.
I think the other selfish thing these smokers dont think about, is that there are people working in offices along the ground floors in the hospital. It gets hot in those offices, so they need to open the windows - only to have the second hand smoke wafting in from those smoking just outside.
portlandboy
says...
10:12am Tue 18 Sep 12
weymouthresident wrote:On your final point, YES THEY DO!!!
I totally agree. If people want to kill themselves with their cigarettes they shouldn't be allowed to benefit from the services available at the hospital. There's little enough NHS money available without those who obviously don't care about their health (or of those who have to inhale their fumes when walking past them) taking the **** by smoking when obviously under treatment. I've even seen expectant mothers sneak out of maternity wards to have their 'fix' thus endangering the lives of their unborn children as well.
Worse still, on several occasions, I've witnessed members of staff (sometimes nurses) smoking whilst sat next to the no smoking signs. No doubt they return to their patients stinking of cigarettes.
Come on DCH to something about it!
They come in, lean over you and they bloody reek!
I fail to see why the Executive Directors allow the signs to be bought when there is very obviously no way to police the ban. If they really want to stamp out smoking on site, they should insist that police are called to remove the offenders under the Public Order Act.
maximan
says...
10:13am Tue 18 Sep 12
cj07589
says...
10:36am Tue 18 Sep 12
maximan wrote:Your witty sarcasm is clearly lost on me, I must be fortunate as the overwhelming majority of my friends exercise common sense and choose to NOT inhale nasty dangerous carcinogenic chemicals & poisons that make you smelly, rot your teeth and gums, make you infertile or blind and ultimately kill, plus the addition side effect of sucking lots of money out of the bank account too. Geeze, I am clearly missing out on so much fun.....NOT!
Tip for smokers: When non-smokers come to your house, ask them to stand outside whilst you have a fag
maximan
says...
10:53am Tue 18 Sep 12
cj07589 wrote:Must be hard to have a sense of smell, seeing as how you appear to be so firmly right up your own orifice. Bet you and your friends are a real scream. Is the anally retentive club open every day?
maximan wrote:Your witty sarcasm is clearly lost on me, I must be fortunate as the overwhelming majority of my friends exercise common sense and choose to NOT inhale nasty dangerous carcinogenic chemicals & poisons that make you smelly, rot your teeth and gums, make you infertile or blind and ultimately kill, plus the addition side effect of sucking lots of money out of the bank account too. Geeze, I am clearly missing out on so much fun.....NOT!
Tip for smokers: When non-smokers come to your house, ask them to stand outside whilst you have a fag
cj07589
says...
1:50pm Tue 18 Sep 12
maximan wrote:Haha is that the very best you can muster to justify your pathetic live by the cig die by the cig existance! Gee wiz how very mature of you, i do pity your small minded outlook.
cj07589 wrote:Must be hard to have a sense of smell, seeing as how you appear to be so firmly right up your own orifice. Bet you and your friends are a real scream. Is the anally retentive club open every day?maximan wrote: Tip for smokers: When non-smokers come to your house, ask them to stand outside whilst you have a fagYour witty sarcasm is clearly lost on me, I must be fortunate as the overwhelming majority of my friends exercise common sense and choose to NOT inhale nasty dangerous carcinogenic chemicals & poisons that make you smelly, rot your teeth and gums, make you infertile or blind and ultimately kill, plus the addition side effect of sucking lots of money out of the bank account too. Geeze, I am clearly missing out on so much fun.....NOT!
maximan
says...
3:08pm Tue 18 Sep 12
cj07589 wrote:Gee you must believe yourself the superior being, looking down from your holier than thou pedestal. But then that's blatantly obvious in your previous post. Anyone that finishes a post with the word "not" must really believe that they require to explain to others that they are being sarcastic . Of course that's because everyone else is so below them. Daily Mail reader by any chance?
maximan wrote:Haha is that the very best you can muster to justify your pathetic live by the cig die by the cig existance! Gee wiz how very mature of you, i do pity your small minded outlook.
cj07589 wrote:Must be hard to have a sense of smell, seeing as how you appear to be so firmly right up your own orifice. Bet you and your friends are a real scream. Is the anally retentive club open every day?maximan wrote: Tip for smokers: When non-smokers come to your house, ask them to stand outside whilst you have a fagYour witty sarcasm is clearly lost on me, I must be fortunate as the overwhelming majority of my friends exercise common sense and choose to NOT inhale nasty dangerous carcinogenic chemicals & poisons that make you smelly, rot your teeth and gums, make you infertile or blind and ultimately kill, plus the addition side effect of sucking lots of money out of the bank account too. Geeze, I am clearly missing out on so much fun.....NOT!
cj07589
says...
3:45pm Tue 18 Sep 12
maximan
says...
4:06pm Tue 18 Sep 12
cj07589 wrote:Yeah but I'm sure what a looser is?
Get over yourself maximan! last time i checked smoking was for loosers clearly you are unable to grasp that concept.
maximan
says...
4:09pm Tue 18 Sep 12
cj07589 wrote:Yeah but I'm not sure what a looser is?
Get over yourself maximan! last time i checked smoking was for loosers clearly you are unable to grasp that concept.
JACKC
says...
5:01pm Tue 18 Sep 12
maximan
says...
5:30pm Tue 18 Sep 12
JACKC wrote:or is a parent?.....jaw dropping....being a parent is being a loser? WOW....Does that include yours?
Someone who can't spell? or someone who smokes? or someone who leaves cigarette butts on the floor outside the hospital, or blows smoke into an open window? or eats too much? or is a parent? or drug user? or just plain perfect? who is the judge?
ksmain
says...
7:58pm Tue 18 Sep 12
maximan wrote:Dear me - it really is quite simple.
JACKC wrote: Someone who can't spell? or someone who smokes? or someone who leaves cigarette butts on the floor outside the hospital, or blows smoke into an open window? or eats too much? or is a parent? or drug user? or just plain perfect? who is the judge?or is a parent?.....jaw dropping....being a parent is being a loser? WOW....Does that include yours?
The hospital has a RULE (whether LEGAL or NOT and whether you like it or not) re no smoking on it's premises. Those who have RESPECT for others will abide by it, those who don't, won't.
Judging by the comments on here, it isn't hard to see why people have so little respect for rules or people's personal space. It isn't surprising that we have arsonists running around setting fire to people's possessions, and others attacking other people, when we have some that can't even have the respect for others than to follow a little rule just occasionally.
chas
says...
12:57pm Wed 19 Sep 12
tittypoos says...
11:15am Sat 15 Sep 12