Table 3 Examples of Trusts' innovative Approaches
From: Smoke-free hospitals – the English experience: results from a survey, interviews, and site visits
Topic | Innovative Approaches to address Challenges |
|---|---|
Challenges: Exemptions to policy | Written guidance to decide whether exemptions on a case-by-case basis can be made, has been developed for ward managers |
Challenges: Enforcement | Cards stating the Trusts' smoke-free policy and giving contact details of NHS stop smoking service have been developed to hand over to smokers (risk-free alternative to approaching them verbally)* |
Step-by-step guide regarding enforcement/breeches of policy for staff/visitors/patients has been drafted* | |
Areas in front of A&E and Maternity have been targeted through extended signage, thorough cleaning, & challenging smokers* | |
Support for Staff | Theatre staff have been supported through targeted support in smoking cessation in view of the "logistic" difficulties in leaving the premises to smoke |
A "Big Action Plan" with a focus on extended support for staff is being developed in a joint effort with the community (PCT, pharmacists) | |
Support of Patients | Smoking status/willingness to stop smoking are assessed on admission and recorded in standard documentation* |
A clinical pathway for smoking cessation has been developed (Mental health Trust) | |
A holistic approach towards physical well-being is taken through combined exercise/stop-smoking programs (Mental health Trust)* | |
Former smoking rooms have been transformed into recreational spaces for patients (Mental health Trust) | |
Impacts | Impact of the policy is going to be reviewed for a) smoking prevalence among staff before and after, b) cleanliness of premises, c) Trust image by means of repeated surveys |