Smoking cessation advice to patients, visitors and staff
When did the Trust go smoke free for patients and visitors as well as staff?Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust went completely smoke-free on 1 January 2019. You are not permitted to smoke anywhere on Trust property, including outside on our grounds. E-cigarettes and vapes are only permitted outside, away from our entrances and windows.
Why did the Trust make this change?
We know that smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable ill health. Since July 2007 smoking has not been permitted inside any of our buildings, to protect the health of all people using our hospitals and grounds.
We want everyone who uses our services to be safe and to see our hospital Trust as a place that promotes good health and wellbeing. To help achieve this we made all our premises smoke-free, so that none of our patients, visitors and staff are exposed to the harmful effects of cigarette smoke.
There are clear signs at all main entrances and around the Trust grounds.
Will patients, visitors and staff be able to get support when on site?
If you are a smoker then we are here to help.
If you are a patient staying at our hospital you will be asked if you smoke upon admission and you will be offered nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), if it is suitable for you. There are many types of NRT available (such as patches, lozenges and mouth sprays) and we will help you to find the one that works for you.
Giving up smoking is a personal choice, but is the most important thing you can do for your health and those around you. We will respect your decision and support you to give up if you choose to. We can also provide medication to help control your withdrawal symptoms during your stay.
If you are having a planned admission to our hospitals, the best thing you can do is contact the Community Wellbeing Hub (call 0300 247 0050 to find details of your local service) or speak to your GP and ask for NRT to take into hospital with you. That way you can start using NRT before you arrive.
If you have an unplanned admission, you can ask any nurse or doctor to give you NRT to help with your nicotine withdrawal symptoms. If you are a visitor, we ask that you do not smoke anywhere on our premises during your visit.
Further information
- Visit the NHS smoke free website
- Call the NHS Smoke-free helpline on 0300 123 1044 or
Visit your local pharmacy for advice - Staff can access confidential Smoking cessation support via Occupational health.
Please email ruh-tr.stopsmoking@nhs.net or call ext 6992 to arrange an appointment.
Who has responsibility for patients who choose to go off-site to smoke?
The Trust is not liable for patients or visitors who choose to go off-site to smoke. We will always offer support to abstain or quit whilst in our care and prescribe nicotine replacement therapy when required.
How will the medication patients are using be affected if they stop smoking?
Clinical staff supporting patients will be able to make the appropriate adjustments to ensure that patients get the full benefits of their usual medication as well as nicotine replacement therapy.
No. Our policy is for all of our premises to be smoke free. There will be support to abstain from smoking through the use of nicotine replacement therapy whilst accessing our services or to quit if that is the preference.
Will any exceptions be made to the policy?
No. The policy applies to patients, visitors and staff on all Trust premises. Staff will support you to not smoke whilst on our premises. Reasonable adjustments may be made in exceptional circumstances (for example for a patient with whom the withdrawal of smoking is detrimental to their physical wellbeing and who cannot have nicotine replacement therapy for a medical reason).