Whittington goes smoke-free

Minister for public health, Caroline Flint MP, visited the Whittington on 4 July to oversee the Trust’s adoption of a zero-tolerance policy on smoking anywhere on the hospital premises or grounds.

The Minister met some quitters on the hospital staff, who have taken up the offer of support by attending sessions with the stop smoking advisor and using nicotine replacement therapy as advised.

Welcoming Ms Flint, respiratory consultant Dr Myra Stern said “North Central London has the dubious honour of having the third highest smoking-attributable mortality for men in the country.  It has therefore been urgent to spearhead a campaign for smoking cessation in secondary care and today, as the clinical lead for this campaign, I am particularly proud to be associated with the launch of our smoke-free hospital”

Dr Stern continued, “We are faced on a daily basis with the unnecessary, costly and preventable suffering caused by smoking. A smoke-free Whittington is a crucial initiative towards achieving a healthier, cleaner environment in our hospital, and towards better health for all in the community.”

The minister said that the work that hospitals do as ambassadors for public health is very important, and congratulated the hospital on the work it has done to support patients and staff to make positive choices about their health.