Wandsworth Primary Care Trust goes smoke free

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Patients and staff benefit from a healthier smoke free environment

Patients, staff and visitors across Wandsworth are benefiting from a healthier environment in NHS buildings and grounds since Wandsworth Primary Care Trust went smoke free on New Year’s Day. This means that anyone visiting a health centre or hospital in Wandsworth should stub their cigarettes out before coming in.

 

Helen Walley, Chief Executive of Wandsworth PCT said, “We strive to provide the highest possible care to our patients. We can only do this by treating people in an environment that promotes health and well-being. Consequently we feel it is our responsibility to provide a cleaner, healthier environment for patients, staff and visitors.”

Smoking is the single biggest cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK. Nearly 2 million Londoners currently smoke (one in four adults and about one in ten London children aged 11-15 years), and smoking is responsible for one death every hour. The risk of secondhand smoke, or passive smoking, is very real. Non smokers regularly exposed to secondhand smoke have a 24% increased risk of lung cancer and a 25% increased risk of heart disease, hence the health of patients and staff will benefit greatly from the new smoke free environment.

Isaac Ojo, Wandsworth Stop Smoking Service Manager, said, “Many people often consider giving up smoking as their new year’s resolution. Doing it without support is never easy which is why we are here to help. It has been shown that you are up to four times as likely to quit smoking by using our services and nicotine replacement therapy compared to will power alone. Last year alone 712 people gave up smoking using our service.”
 
People of all age groups and from all walks of life, are giving up everyday. It takes one phone call to the Wandsworth NHS Stop Smoking Service on freephone 0800 389 7921.

                                                      

January 11, 2006