New campaign at Derbyshire hospital to reinforce smoking ban on its grounds

The ‘Think  Again’ campaign aims to create a healthier environment for patients, visitors and staff by urging everyone to keep the city’s hospitals and grounds smoke free.

The new campaign will ensure that patients and visitors are aware before they arrive that Derby Hospitals are smoke free zones. 

All patients will receive a leaflet with their appointment letter to ensure they and their visitors know about the smoke free policy.

All inpatients will be offered free nicotine replacement therapies whilst they are in hospital.

Staff are being asked to hand out small cards to anyone smoking in hospital grounds. The card clearly explains the area covered by the smoke free zone and shows smokers where public exits are if they do want to smoke.

“It is really important for us to have a completely smoke free environment,” explained Derby Hospitals’ respiratory consultant Dr Chris  Whale.

He added: “I spend every week looking after patients with lung cancer and other respiratory illnesses, many of which are caused by smoking, so week in week out I see what damage smoking does. We need people to come to our hospitals with a different attitude towards smoking and we  recognise this won’t happen over-night but we want to encourage people to make this shift.”