Hospital reminder about smoking policy

The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is reminding patients, staff and visitors that smoking is not allowed on the site, including outside the buildings and in the hospital grounds.

A series of smoking walkabouts are taking place between now and Christmas when members of the hospital’s Smoke Free Group will be reminding smokers about the policy and handing out information on quitting smoking.  
 
Assistant Director of Nursing Dawn Collins said: “People continue to smoke on the NNUH site despite the fact that it is not allowed under our smoke free policy.  This creates an unpleasant environment for patients and costs the Trust about £50,000 a year in extra costs for cleaning and repairs to the grounds. 

“Over the next three months we will be reminding patients, staff and visitors about the smoking policy and helping people to quit.”

Norfolk’s Stop Smoking Service can provide free advice and support for anyone wanting to quit smoking.  Telephone 0800 0854 113 or get more information at www.cignificant.co.uk
 
Facts on smoking: 
• Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals in the form of particles and gases, over 50 of which are known to be cancer-causing
• Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and early death in the UK, and leads to heart disease, stroke and cancer
• More than 120,000 people in the UK die from smoking-related illnesses each year.
• 70% of smokers say that they want to give up (Office of National Statistics).