Press release: NHS Confederation respond to Department of Health consultation on smoke-free regulations

17 Jul 2006

Commenting on the Department of Health consultation launch on draft regulations for a smoke-free future, Dr Gill Morgan, chief executive of the NHS Confederation which represents over 90 per cent of NHS organisations, said:

"More than 1,600 people die from smoking in England every week. NHS managers feel very strongly that a ban on smoking in all public places is crucial in the battle to reduce illness and death from smoking-related diseases.

"A recent poll of NHS chief executives revealed that 84 per cent favoured a complete ban in all public places - including membership clubs.

"However, we recognise that it is genuinely difficult imposing a complete ban for patients who have been compulsorily detained. The preference is for everywhere to be smoke-free, but this will need to be implemented sensitively for those living in psychiatric hospitals and units. It is important that people living in long-stay facilities have the same access to smoking cessation services as everyone else."

ENDS

 

Notes for editors

1. The NHS Confederation represents more than 90 per cent of the organisations that make up the NHS. Its members include the majority of NHS acute trusts, ambulance trusts, foundation trusts, mental health trusts, primary care trusts, special health authorities and strategic health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

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