New loudspeaker messages aim to reduce smoking on hospital grounds

Big buzzers have been installed at four different locations across Cardiff and Vale University Health Board for people to press should they spot anyone smoking on hospital grounds.

Staff working at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW) and University Hospital Llandough (UHL) have frequently voiced concerns about patients, visitors and fellow colleagues smoking tobacco outside entrances and around hospital sites.

Since 1 March, 2021, it has been illegal to smoke on hospital grounds and anyone seen smoking could be handed a fixed penalty notice of £100. However, that hasn’t deterred some people from continuing to light up.

In a bid to combat this problem, loudspeaker systems have been installed at four different locations: outside the women’s unit at UHW, outside the entrance to UHW concourse, outside the main entrance to UHL and outside the entrance to Hafan Y Coed at UHL.

When someone is caught smoking, people can activate the loudspeaker by pressing a buzzer located just inside the four entrances (but far enough away for the smoker not to see who pressed it).

Once pressed, a stop smoking message is played to the smokers urging them to put out their cigarette or seek smoking cessation support via Help Me Quit.

Catherine Perry, Principal Public Health Practitioner in the Cardiff and Vale UHB Local Public Health Team, said: “While smoking rates have come down across Wales in recent years, the Health Board continues to receive complaints about smoking on hospital grounds, putting the health of patients, colleagues and the public at risk.

“When people smoke on hospital sites, patients are forced to breathe in toxic second-hand smoke - including some of our most vulnerable. Sometimes patients have to walk through second-hand smoke to get in and out of the hospital which is deeply unpleasant.

“We hope these loudspeaker messages will make people think twice about lighting their cigarettes and seek free, professional support through the Help Me Quit programme. We are committed to the Welsh Government’s Tobacco Control Strategy for Wales which aims to create a smoke-free Wales by 2030.”

Outside the UHW woman’s unit, four bilingual stop smoking messages are read out by two former pupils from Ysgol Gynradd Creigiau Primary School - Rua Harvard and Ela Bryant Williams (pictured). Both of the pupils are now in secondary school.

Delyth Kirkman, Headteacher of Creigiau Primary, said: “We are delighted to work with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board on this important initiative. We want our students to grow up in a world where cigarette smoking is a taboo and very rarely seen. Well done to Rua and Ela for playing such a crucial part in reducing smoking rates on hospital grounds.”

For a full list of stop smoking services locally, please contact the Help Me Quit contact centre team by:

· Calling freephone 0800 085 2219

· Texting HMQ to 80818 (text cost is one standard rate message)

· Going to the Help Me Quit website here and requesting a call back

Smokers can also be referred to Help Me Quit by their GP or practice nurse, or if they find themselves in hospital they can access services and products on-site before being transferred back to the community. Some pharmacies in Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan also offer Help Me Quit advice and products.

 

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