MONDAY, 20 APRIL, 2015

IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PHOTOGRAPH ATTACHED – TOBACCO CONTROL MANAGER MARGARET WINTON AND HEALTH PROMOTION OFFICER TRACEY MACKAY DURING TODAY’S WALKABOUT AT NINEWELLS HOSPITAL

Smoke free grounds across NHS Tayside

Staff from the NHS Tayside Smoke Free Services team will be offering advice and support on its updated no smoking policy during daily walkabouts on NHS Tayside sites.

The Scottish Government has set out the ambition for Scotland to be a place where almost nobody smokes. Within Tayside nearly 77% of people don’t smoke. NHS Tayside supports the government’s ambition and asks that people who wish to smoke or use electronic cigarettes, only do so outwith NHS Tayside premises or grounds.

The no smoking policy covers all NHS Tayside premises and grounds except for patients in adult hospices and psychiatric in-patient hospitals and units. It aims to contribute to the improvement of the health of the population of Tayside.

Members of the Smoke Free Services team will be taking part in the regular walkabouts across NHS Tayside sites to offer information and advice about the policy, and explain what support is available for staff and patients.

Consultant in public health pharmacy Andrew Radley said, “Members of the Smoke Free Services team will be on hand to offer advice on what support is available in the hospitals and communities in Tayside.

“Our staff work extremely hard to provide the care that people need. We want to see fresh air at our entrances and grounds and we ask people in our communities to support our smoking policy and work in partnership with us to improve the health of our patients and the public.

“We understand that it can be hard to go without a cigarette, particularly at stressful times, however the NHS exists to make everyone’s health as good as possible. Keeping our grounds smoke free is to benefit the health of everyone but particularly our patients who are undergoing investigations and treatment. We would like to thank all smokers for respecting this.”

Support and advice to be smoke free while on NHS Tayside sites is available from the NHS Tayside Smoke Free Services and community pharmacies.

From 31 March 2015 all hospital sites across Scotland became smoke free to meet the requirements of the Scottish Government’s tobacco control strategy.

The move to achieve smoke free status in the grounds of every hospital, health centre and NHS building across the country is part of a national drive to create a tobacco-free generation within Scotland by 2034.

Giving up smoking is the single most important lifestyle decision that anyone can make to improve their

health immediately.

Anyone who would like support can call NHS Tayside Smoke Free Services on 0845 600 999 6 to find out about all the ways in which NHS Tayside can help support people to become smoke free. Anyone who wants to stop smoking can also visit their local pharmacist to find out more about a free programme of support to quit smoking. You can also join our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nhstaysidesmokefree

Health benefits to quitting smoking

• 20 minutes after quitting your blood pressure and pulse return to normal

• 48 hours - no nicotine is left in your body. Your senses of taste and smell are greatly improved

• 72 hours - your breathing becomes easier and your energy levels increase

• 2-12 weeks after quitting smoking your circulation improves and exercise can be easier

• 3-9 months - any coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve

• Within five years the risk of heart attack is halved

• Within 10 years the risk of lung cancer is halved and the risk of heart attack is at the same level

as non-smokers

• Medium to long term – stopping smoking at any age increases your life expectancy, provided you

stop before the onset of serious disease. Even if you have developed a disease, you can benefit

from stopping as your body will be under less strain and be able to fight it more easily

Contact:

Debbie Huband

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740134