Smoking ban for South Staffordshire psychiatric patients

Patients in South Staffordshire and Shropshire are currently allowed to smoke in the gardens of individual wards.

But this would be banned from October and patients will instead be supported to give up.

Hospitals in the Black Country still allow smoking in gardens but bosses say they would consider a ban in future.

South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust has facilities for people with mental health problems including St George's Hospital in Stafford.

Smoking is already banned for staff and visitors in its hospitals and grounds.

Banning smoking for patients has been met with opposition in other parts of the country, with critics arguing that patients who have been sectioned do not have the option to leave the site.

And it is estimated up to 70 per cent of mental health patients smoke, with concerns being raised that a ban could make them more agitated and see them struggling to relax.

But health bosses say nicotine replacement such as patches will be available, along with advice on quitting.

Alison Bussey, director of nursing and chief operating officer for South Staffordshire and Shropshire, said "Being smoke free helps everyone by making our trust a healthy place to visit, stay or work.

"As a health community we want to help people live a healthy life and we are committed to ensuring everyone who wants to quit smoking, or cut down, is given the support and encouragement they need to do so."

Smoking is still allowed in some outside areas at the The Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, which runs sites including Hallam Street Hospital in West Bromwich, The Macarthur Centre in and Penn Hospital in Wolverhampton.

Spokeswoman Yvonne Mayne said: "The trust does not permit smoking in any of its buildings.

"We keep this policy under review and are currently looking at updating this position in line with national guidance.

"We are committed to protecting and improving the health and wellbeing of our service users, staff, visitors and contractors to the trust, and continually ensure help and advice is available to support our service users and staff to stop smoking."

Wendy Pugh, director of operations and nursing at Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, which runs Bushey Fields Hospital in Dudley, Dorothy Pattison in Walsall and Bloxwich Hospital for older adults in Bloxwich, said: "We do have a small number of designated outside smoking areas in our inpatient sites for patients.

"Over the coming months our Experts by Experience will be canvassing the views of patients on our smoking policies with a view to introducing a no smoking policy in the future."