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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not care about my works smoking ban

44 replies

McHappyPants2012 · 13/03/2012 18:59

From tomorrow no body will be able to smoke in the hospital ground, for myself I don't care ( I am a smoker) I have always changed out of my uniform and if I want to smoke I can leave the grounds.
However I do feel sorry for patients as they will have no where to go

OP posts:
TattyDevine · 13/03/2012 19:00

I'm not a smoker but its a bit rough on the patients really. It will just encourage disfunctional behaviour, anyway. People will smoke if they really want to. They should just accept that people will and make a designated outdoor area that everyone else can avoid.

WorraLiberty · 13/03/2012 19:01

I'm sure it won't matter

There are smoking bans here in hospital grounds and patients and staff alike flout them regularly.

The newest hospital that's just been built, has now installed a smoking shelter for staff and patients.

Methe · 13/03/2012 19:01

Smoking is banned in my local hospitals grounds too but it doesn't seem to stop anyone.

podgymum · 13/03/2012 19:01

Good. If they are ill they shouldn't be smoking!! I know its an addiction but when I was in hospital recently I couldn't believe the amount of people sitting outside in their wheelchairs hooked up to drips and drains struggling for breath and STILL smoking Shock

ginmakesitallok · 13/03/2012 19:02

What exactly is the point of your post? Do you agree with the ban or not? From a legal point of view there is nothing they can actually do about patients/visitors smoking apart from asking them not to. All our hospitals have a smoking ban in the grounds and it makes little to no difference to the number of patients who smoke. Staff can in theory be disciplined, but I don't think anyone has been.

Original poster
McHappyPants2012 · 13/03/2012 19:03

They have removed all the outdoor smoking shelters today.

OP posts:
ginmakesitallok · 13/03/2012 19:04

"If they're ill they shouldn't be smoking" - that's one of the silliest things I've heard. If they have established disease stopping smoking isn't going to do them much good??

Fiendishlie · 13/03/2012 19:04

I wish more places would completely ban smoking. I really resent the fag breaks that some of my colleagues take; 15 minutes a time, several times a day soon adds up to masses of time that I am working and they are not.

halcyondays · 13/03/2012 19:04

What could they actually do to a patient if they were smoking in the grounds? Throw them out of the hospital?

littleducks · 13/03/2012 19:04

IME it probably won't change much if its like this at the hospital I go to. You see staff smoking behing trees and poles and the patients dont seem to care, they can hardly discharge you!

In our fire safety annunal training the fire officer freely admitted she thought it was a bad thing and would prefer enforced smoking huts as staff sneaking around smoking were the shouldn't isnt very safe.....and when she was new in the job and approached a man lighting up outside the main entrance with her shiny new posters explaining the trusts policy and he told her to fuck off because he was dying of cancer anyway and didnt care.

BigBoobiedBertha · 13/03/2012 19:05

I agree podgymum. Short stay in hospital could help them give up.

They have a total ban in our hospital - they wouldn't let my dad out and gave him a patch to help with the cravings.

Sadly, it didn't stop the stupid man from smoking but he has been doing it 70 yrs and I doubt he will ever give up now. He didnt' smoke whilst he was there and my mum took his tobacco home

Original poster
McHappyPants2012 · 13/03/2012 19:06

I agree with it, especially if it put patients off going outside with catheters and drip stands

OP posts:
ginmakesitallok · 13/03/2012 19:06

Fiendishie - what your colleagues get up to during their breaks is none of your business. If you think they are taking more breaks than you then you should just start taking the same time.

WorraLiberty · 13/03/2012 19:07

Who else thinks we're going to need a 'fat bashing' thread to even up the board? Grin

That is assuming this thread will turn into the usual anti smoker slag fest

fluffiphlox · 13/03/2012 19:11

I have visited a local hospital and patients were standing outside the main entrance in gowns and socks trailing their drips. On one hand I recognise that they are addicts but on the other I think it looks awful. At least hide them away.

Fiendishlie · 13/03/2012 19:11

Gin, of course I mean breaks to which they are not entitled, when they should be at their desks working.
Poor line management, I guess. I'm sure there are many members of staff in other departments who would be pulled up on it in no time at all, just not in mine, sadly.

LunaticFringe · 13/03/2012 19:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Birdsgottafly · 13/03/2012 19:35

Good. If they are ill they shouldn't be smoking

There adults, service users have the right to autonomy, unless they fail the mental capacity act.

Tobacco is a legal drug, like coffee and before tht is leaped on, coffee can be really bad for you, combined with some medication,or health conditions.

Either we remove choice and then change the whole ethos of social care, we make tobacco illegal or we don't have stupid outside policies.

I hope the ban is challenged, i know my mother would, aged 84.

I am a non smoker, but i am well versed in respecting the rights of the service user.

mockingjay · 13/03/2012 19:57

I doubt the hospital seriously thinks that no one will smoke. They just don't want to be seen as condoning it in any way.

rogersmellyonthetelly · 13/03/2012 20:04

I wish them luck with enforcing that. There are large signs outside the main entrance of our local hospital, which is a nice backdrop for the group of desperadoes standing puffing away in all weathers, staff included.

RhinosDontEatPancakes · 13/03/2012 20:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jusfloatingby · 14/03/2012 17:27

Smoking is banned immediately outside our local hospital but you still have to run the gauntlet of smokers to get to the door. That does annoy me, because there is a little covered over smoking place a few yards away that they could use. But I don't think patients should be banned from smoking for the entire duration of a hospital stay - they have enough to cope with and a smoking area should be provided and the area around the entrance properly policed by the security staff.
I do agree, however, that it looks awful to see patients hooked up to drips dragging themselves outside on freezing cold days to have a smoke. It must be terrible to be so addicted.

PeanutButterCupCake · 14/03/2012 17:49

It's ridiculous, people are adults and as long as they can make an informed decision it should be up to them ( as long as it doesn't hurt others)

For many relatives and patients it is a very traumatic time and sadly nicotine helps them through things.

I agree people shouldn't be smiling outside the doors I think the old shelters, out of the way where they weren't affecting anyone should be brought back.

OldGreyWiffleTest · 14/03/2012 18:09

They took down the outside smoking room + shelter at my local hospital - now patients just sit outside the entrance! At our regional hospital the other day I saw a sign saying that people now could not even smoke in their own cars in the car park. Haven't yet heard of anyone being fined for flouting these stupid rules though.

PinsAndNoodles · 14/03/2012 18:51

I work for a mental health trust who will soon be enforcing a total smoking ban. I think it is entirely unfair to expect people in psychiatric crisis to have to give up the fags. And some of these people are sectioned so they have no choice but to be in hospital.

Fight the power.