Smoking to be banned outside Russells Hall Hospital

Shelters will be removed from outside A&E and other areas as part of a smoking crackdown by health bosses.

Patients, visitors and staff will not be able to smoke or use electronic cigarettes from June. The ban will also apply to the Guest and Corbett outpatient centres.

Diane Wake, chief executive of the Dudley Group NHS Trust, which runs Russells Hall, said she could no longer justify allowing people to smoke outside the hospital.

Experts say they hope cutting smoking at the site will result in "fewer admissions, shorter patient stays and a population that ages more healthily".

The hospital has become the latest to announce a smoking ban after Public Heath England urged NHS trusts to put a stop to people lighting up at healthcare facilities. It was revealed last year patients and visitors at Sandwell Hospital could face fines if they ignore a ban due to come in there.

She said: “As a healthcare trust we clearly wish to promote a healthy environment. Since 2007 smoking has not been allowed in hospital buildings and everyone understands and respects that. Now we need to extend that to our wider estates, including our car parks.

“At the request of Public Health England we will be removing our smoking shelters and asking visitors, patients and staff to refrain from smoking. Smoking remains the leading cause of premature death in the UK.

“We will be supporting our staff who wish to use this opportunity to quit smoking by providing free support to them ready for June 3.”