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NHS staff face tough smoking ban
An NHS trust that has banned obese
people from undergoing hip and knee replacement surgery is considering barring
its staff from smoking in public even when they are not on its premises, it
emerged today.
Suffolk East primary care trust (PCT), the body that runs local community health
services, face being banned from smoking while wearing their uniform or ID badge
- even when they are not at work.
The PCT's board is due to decide whether to approve the new smoking policy on
Wednesday, but public services union Unison has branded it "unworkable" and
"unenforceable".
The policy states that staff must not smoke in a public place if they can be
identified as an employee of the trust. This means they would not be able to
smoke on other premises where smoking is permitted.
Smoking will also not be allowed in the PCT's leased and pool cars, except where
the driver contributes to the lease cost for personal use of the vehicle. Even
then, it will only be allowed in non-work time. The policy does not apply to
privately owned vehicles except when they are on PCT premises or are being used
on PCT business.
The PCT chief executive, Carole Taylor-Brown, has issued a policy statement
directing that the organisation's buildings, vehicles and outside grounds will
be smoke-free. The policy applies to all staff, volunteers, patients, visitors,
contractors and any other people who enter PCT premises for any purpose.
A report to the PCT board states: "The cessation of smoking in all the PCT's
environments (including the grounds of all establishments) will improve their
appearance as cigarette butts will disappear from underfoot and the pall of
smoke around entrances to buildings will dissipate."
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If the policy is approved by the
board, there will be a three-month lead-in period in which staff will be
encouraged to comply. After that, a breach will result in disciplinary action.
Ian Talbot, Suffolk healthcare Unison branch secretary, warned that the move
could force smokers underground, causing health and safety risks.
He told the East Anglian Daily Times: "It's just absolute rubbish, the whole
thing, from start to finish. It's unenforceable. If somebody is on their own
break time and if they are going to work in their own vehicle, they are saying
they can't actually smoke in their vehicle in the car park."
"The union is in favour of smoke-free, but not the way that policy is written.
It's unworkable. This will go down like a lead balloon."
Mr Talbot said some smokers could end up smoking in cupboards or toilets to
avoid detection. "All it will be is to have smoking underground and you'll
probably actually find there's more fire risk."
Last week it emerged that obese people are not be entitled to hip and knee
replacement surgery on the NHS in East Suffolk until they lose weight.
Press Association
Monday November 28, 2005
http://www.guardian.co.uk/smoking/Story/0,,1652687,00.html
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