HOSPITAL chiefs in Sheffield have defended a decision to provide smoking shelters around their sites, saying a blanket ban had proved too difficult for staff to enforce.
Contractors have been putting up the shelters in several locations on sites run by the Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Signs are currently displayed which say smoking is banned and inform people they are breaking the law unless
they leave hospital grounds before lighting up.
But yesterday deputy chief nurse Richard Parker said the rules would be relaxed to encourage people to smoke in the shelters and move them away from other locations.
Mr Parker added: "We have started to place smoking shelters at certain locations around the trust as a result of feedback from patients and staff.
"This is because, despite signs and efforts of staff, some patients and visitors continue to smoke outside the hospital's main entrances.
"To bring to an end the discomfort this causes people coming to our hospitals, the shelters have been erected away from the main entrances and will display contact details for help to stop smoking within the trust. Once all of the shelters are in place, the hospital's signs will be rationalised to highlight the changes."
Martin Dockerell, of anti-smoking charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said he understood that smoking bans could be difficult to enforce but urged managers to review their decision.
He added: "Totally smoke-free hospitals are the gold standard and the trust has clearly had a good old attempt at that, but at present it is not appropriate for the trust's sites.
"However, we would want to see managers keep their decision under review, because it is extremely important for hospitals to engage with staff, patients and visitors to ensure they are encouraged to quit."
