Why is the NHS going Smokefree?
We are now asking people not to smoke at all on hospital grounds, not even outside.
Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death. 1 in 4 people admitted to hospital smoke tobacco, and 50% of all smokers will die from a tobacco related disease.
Tobacco dependency commonly starts in childhood and is not simply a ‘lifestyle choice’, rather a chronic and treatable disease.
There are very successful treatments for tobacco dependence available on the NHS and as healthcare professionals, it is our duty to offer these to patients to help them avoid the entirely preventable diseases and early death that come with tobacco use.
Support to stop smoking, or to swap to a less harmful alternative is now available as a standard part of all NHS care for all people who smoke, whether they be a patient, visitor or member of staff.
