Kettering General Hospital banned smoking anywhere on its grounds last year, meaning staff and patients had to leave the site if they wanted a cigarette.

But following complaints that patients were flouting the rules, the hospital has had to relent and spend £25,000 putting up four smoking shelters.

Staff are still banned from smoking on the site and can be disciplined if they break the rules.

The hospital's chief executive said they understood some visitors crave a cigarette in times of difficulty or stress.

Dr Mark Newbold said: "Smoking has been illegal inside hospital buildings since July 1, 2007, in the same way it is now illegal in pubs and restaurants. However, the law does not extend to the grounds of the hospital, where we are only able to request patients and visitors refrain from smoking voluntarily.

"We do know people who blatantly smoke in front of hospital buildings cause annoyance to other patients and visitors and to our own staff.
"They also set a poor public health example to impressionable children and younger people.

"However, we do appreciate many people find it difficult to refrain from smoking, particularly at times in their life when they may be under great stress and concerned about their own, or a loved one's health. Because of this we have tried to strike a sensible balance to accommodate the differing needs of our patients and visitors."

Dr Newbold said the shelters have been sited away from main entrances, near Rothwell Road, the pathology department, the maternity block and beyond the main entrance.

Carol Darnell, from Wellingborough, is an out-patient at the hospital and said the use of the smoking shelters must be enforced.

She said: "I am against smoking and when I was at the hospital a couple of weeks ago, a workman who was clearing up cigarette butts was saying he shouldn't have to do it. The smoking shelters seem like a good idea providing they are enforced – I think it's money well spent.

"It could help the hospital save money in the long run if it means they don't have to pay people to clean up all the cigarette ends.

"I don't think it was too ambitious of the hospital to try for a complete ban on its grounds but I understand people enjoy smoking."

A recent Freedom of Information request revealed three members of hospital staff have been reprimanded for smoking on the hospital site since it went smoke-free.

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Here are some of the reader's letters we have already received:


At last, someone has shown they care about smokers!

When a person is in hospital for treatment it can be a very stressfull time, the last thing you need when you feel as low as you think you can go, or you are in a lot of pain is some jobsworth telling you to go to the main road if you want to relax, ease your mind, lose your stress by enjoying a smoke!

And yes, most smokers enjoy it! Experts are allways saying we want to give up and we do it because its a drug and we cant get off the dreaded fags. Well I'm sorry, but every smoker I know is a smoker because it feels good, they enjoy it, it relaxes them or helps in times of stress and its legal and most smokers dont want to stop, what they would like is to be treated as human beings and allowed to enjoy something that is still lawfull (for now).

So well done Kettering Hospital, its about time someone considered smokers, non-smokers do not have to hang around the new shelters so no complaints please.

Next in line has to be the pubs, in Germany the courts agreed the ban is damaging the pub trade and overturned it, if German courts can overturn it so can ours, now lets see a brave MP stand up and consider the rights of smokers and take the case to the goverment and the courts to reverse this unfair ban.

R. Paige
Grantham Walk
Corby


Like I said, at the begining, in ET letters..

Smokers are more stressed out than normal - as patients or visitors.
Even more so with the parking fiasco.

Putting shelters AWAY from entrances/exits shows even more the lack of understanding here.

Discarded materials will remain,until there is adequate provision AND acceptance that it aint going away in the short term.

Non-smokers can moan all they like..it's OUTSIDE.

Louis Shaw