Care Opinion

Smoking at the entrance

Posted By funnyyz65

"Smoking at the entrance"

About: Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh at Little France

(as a service user),

I have just attended a respiratory appointment at the royal infirmary Edinburgh. I have been in and out many times over the last six months for asthma. I can not get over the amount of smokers, usually patients, directly outside the entrance to the hospital! It is a ghastly sight and does not promote healthy living in the slightest. 

When I was admitted last July we would actively look for alternative ways to get in and out of the hospital due to the volume of smokers.

There are no less than 14 signs saying no smoking at least 2 of which are large blue signs stating the consequences if you do. There does not appear to be any policing what so ever of this at all. In fact there are at times fairly aggressive parking attendants making sure you’re using the carpark for appointments that would be better served dealing with this. 

I am interested to know what is being done to tackle this?

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Responses

Response from Adna Dumitrescu, Tobacco Control Project Manager, Public Health, NHS Lothian 10 months ago
We are preparing to make a change
Adna Dumitrescu
Tobacco Control Project Manager, Public Health,
NHS Lothian

Submitted on 20/03/2024 at 13:52
Published on Care Opinion at 14:10

Hello,

Thank you for giving us some feedback following your visit at the Royal Infirmary. I am sorry to hear that you were subjected to second hand smoke – we want that everyone that visits or works at the hospital to be able to do so in a safe and healthy environment.

NHS Lothian has a smoke free policy, and despite this not being directly observable just yet, a lot of work has been happening in the background to ensure that the policy becomes reality and that all NHS Lothian hospitals become smoke free spaces. Earlier this year we have launched a series of information sessions for staff to be able to have positive conversations about the benefits of smoke free hospitals and just this week NHS Lothian launched a public campaign to raise awareness of the issue: https://t.co/m5J10la89w.

You’ve mentioned a lack of enforcement of the smoke free legislation – while we agree that this is important, our larger aim is to achieve a smoke free environment by changing the cultural acceptability of smoking. We know that most people who work, use or visit our hospitals do not smoke, and we want to make this more visible. We know from other hospitals which have undergone a smoke free change that having public and staff support will ensure a longer lasting change rather than relying only on issuing fines to enforce the policy.

Best wishes,

Adna Dumitrescu

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