To be sick of seeing people smoking by no smoking signs by hospital entrances

[Jdot]

Usually one of these is an in-patient - in hospital gown, PJs or dressing gown. Plus has at least one of these a drip attached on a drip castor holder, catheter on a stand or on show and a nasal cannula around neck. They look very pale and weak whilst using what energy they have to clutch a cig in their hands.

Then see hospital staff. Both medical staff in uniform and other staff in normal clothes. Know that they are staff by lanyards, ID passes.

The former are probably in hospital due to smoking. The latter should lead a better example by walking outside the grounds to smoke.

Do you think the NHS and their trusts should do something about this?

I hated negotiating ambulances and smokers when visiting our nearest acute hospital over an extended period.

On my last visit there were no smokers visible - the area had been replaced with flower planters, a coffee hut and a large colourful fruit and vegetable stall. It looked and smelled so healthy compared to smoke.

I’m sure the smokers had just moved elsewhere though.

Aw diddums. I speak as I have found after 50 years of living in the shadow of that generation. Why is it fine for them to take our entire lives, ruin our entire civilization for all that come after them, but ‘ageist’ to call them out on it? Because they’ve been enabled to use power against us. And that’s not good enough.

Similarly for ‘benefits bashing’. I’ve worked my entire life, what was it for? When I find myself being assaulted by these people? When they have so many more rights than I have ever had? No one ever supported me.

Quite.

My little lad is on max dose of daily antihistamines plus we have to carry epi-pens, we don't travel by public transport, we don't leave the house unless absolutely necessary and a targeted destination, ie. The shopping centre with a multistorey indoor car park, or places by appointment only.

The only effective medication for my migraines was stopped years ago, but my migraines seemed fewer and far between back then anyway. Then when I was pregnant and highly smell sensitive, I was placed opposite someone at work who was a chain smoker and wore his smoking jacket to work because his wife didn't like it being left in the house! Add in HG. My migraines started getting worse and just never stopped after that.

So we really are heavily restricted on what we do or where we go.

But one of the primary places we can't avoid it are at hospital entrances.

Because you're stereotyping and generalising. I'm the same age as you, but I don't lump 'boomers' (or any other generation) together as the enemy.

I have also worked full time my whole adult life - never had a break in that time of more than a couple of weeks holiday - but, who knows, tomorrow I might be hit by a bus or develop a debilitating illness or get made redundant and struggle to find another job - I'm not going to judge people who need state support, I might be in their shoes one day.

Smoking is fucking selfish and smokers are usually of the train of thought that ‘I need a fag, bugger anyone else’

From a practical point of view, is it really safe for the pale & weak patient with the IV drip attached to walk off hospital grounds to smoke? As I’m sure everyone appreciates, it’s really hard to just stop smoking cold turkey & from my experience of working in a hospital, these patients are usually going out for maybe 5 or 10 cigarettes a day compared to the 40 or 60 they were smoking daily prior to admission. They were also quite often patients with more than one addiction. I’m not sure that giving up smoking while also being detoxed from alcohol or drugs is great timing.

Staff absolutely shouldn’t be smoking on site.

They're smoking outdoors! How on earth does it affect you.

Walking through a bit of exhaled smoke probably takes seconds and I manage it fine without keeling over.

These people are addicted, they are stressed and anxious in hospital. It is of course mental and highly unhealthy but it's their health not ours.

I remember hospitals in the 90s where smoking was allowed indoors , I mean that was bad.

They can take a few paces more or be wheeled further away to smoke in a smoking area. Simple.

I often find the sight of people in nighties/pjs and minging slippers wandering about a strange sight. Just wear joggers/leggings and Tshirts with slip on croc type shoes.

If you're well enough to pop down to Smiths and outdoors for a fag you're well enough to get dressed.

They could yes. It's often a weather thing. If it's raining they do tend to congregate under the canopy bit at entrances.

Because what is happening now isn't working. So we need something that will work. Smoking addiction needs to be carried out, or there are side/knock on effects. While the drug is legal, that addiction needs to be mananaged.

At the children's hospital I worked at there was a recording of a child saying please don't smoke here when I come outside the smell makes me feel even more poorly.

They absolutely should, I've recently been attending the Beatson in Glasgow for secondary lung cancer.
I've never smoked and really object to having to get past patients, visitors etc smoking at the entrance, they can get out for a cigarette but can't even dispose of the cigarette, the amount of ends lying at the entrance is unbelievable.

In hospitals patients who admit to smoking are offered replacement nicotine therapy. I’m not going to know how effective it is @Ponoka7 , but there are plenty who still demand their smoke fix or vape.
(And no it doesn’t follow that someone who just has the energy to drag themselves to the entrance or is taken down there has the energy to get fully dressed)

I really don’t care about your name calling or complaints @AntiquePenguin . That generation got far more support on the whole than anyone after them ever did, not did they particularly care about the ‚generalised’ way in which support has been withdrawn for all behind them - somehow the ‚stereotype’ of being younger is enough to allow impoverishment of both finances and agency. I will not get the same level of service i have supplied to them. I never have or do.

I remember as a child (1970s) visiting the doctor and he was smoking!
Sorry, slightly OT but this brought back a memory 😂

My trust has tried. All their ideas come to nothing. The fire service want them to have a smoking shelter away from the main entrance. As do the fire officers. And it would mean people not walking through clouds of smoke. But the trust says no.

It’s so selfish of the smokers. Smoking should be stopped well before planned medical treatment and this checked with a blood test and also stopped immediately for emergency patients.

I wonder what reason the trust gave for prioritising smokers over non smokers at the main entrance? What a disgrace.

Or maybe even sick people who are too frail to go much further. Smoking is an addiction- with horrible health consequences. People try and fail multiple times to give up.
People are advised to pick a date to stop- perhaps a time with less stress. Being in hospital is frightening and uncomfortable. It’s a really hard time to stop smoking.
I’m not a smoker and I work in the NHS

Lazy, selfish, self entitled people. Patients and visitors do it at every entrance at our hospital and have been since I can remember. Best one is outside the doors of the maternity building - newborn babies first exposure to the world, cigarette or vape smoke. Lovely.

@ButterCrackers smoking isn't illegal. And the govt derives a great deal of income from taxing it. It's morally wrong to penalise people for being addicted to something which is sold everywhere!

Once you go down the route of forcing people to stop their perfectly legal habit in order to access medical treatment, it's the thin end of the wedge. A civilised society, where everyone pays into the system, doesn't put conditions on accessing medical care!

YABVU

Are you suggesting that NHS resource now become the smoking police?

The people smoking are grown adults and have personal responsibility.

It's their fault, and they pay the price.

It’s not even all the older generations either that are smoking! I’m seeing lots of younger people who would have only grown up with all the messaging about how bad smoking is etc , and yet they still started smoking!!

one of my friends kids, never smoked & yet she decided to try vaping, as it looked fun….. and now can’t stop!

guess this is where Darwin will win out!

For context, I grow up on one chain smoker parent of tobacco who did give up almost 30 years ago

I had a hospital appointment yesterday and witnessed about 4 patients in wheelchairs smoking by the non smoking sign and about 6 medical professionals puffing away in a haze of smoke.