Partnership Trust moves to smoke free premises

Patients and visitors will be banned from smoking at any Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust site from June 28.

The move is based on national clinical guidelines for all hospital sites to be smoke free. According to the Trust, research shows people with mental health problems are more likely to smoke heavily, resulting in poorer health and life expectancy.

Patients will be supported not to smoke and some staff are being given specialist training. Trust Director of Operations, Ian Jerams, said: “Currently our inpatient nurses devote a lot of their time to escorting patients to designated smoking areas and we’d like this time to be spent on providing therapeutic activities.”

Help will include nicotine replacement therapy, behavioural support and advice. E-cigarettes and vaping will be permitted within outdoor areas unless deemed a nuisance.