News 
 Local News 
 News 
 General 
 Peninsula Health's widespread ban on smoking 

Peninsula Health's widespread ban on smoking

31 Aug, 2010 01:00 AM
ALL Peninsula Health workplaces and services will become totally smoke free from this week.

The smoking ban will apply to all staff, patients and visitors.

Executive director of community and continuing care Jan Child said there would be "limited and carefully monitored exemptions" for some patients, including mental health patients and aged-care residents.

Smoking shelters will be removed from all Peninsula Health centres and smoking will not be permitted on any site or in any building or car belonging to the health service. This includes Frankston and Rosebud hospitals and all rehabilitation, aged-care and community health sites.

The decision follows a successful trial at the Hastings Community Health service in High Street.

"Smoking is the largest single preventable cause of death and disease in Australia," Ms Child said.

"This change may be difficult for some staff, as well as for patients, clients and visitors who smoke. Helping smokers who want to quit is an important part of the implementation strategy."

Stop smoking programs would be run and nicotine replacement therapies would be available for staff, volunteers and patients who want to quit smoking.

"We will carefully and sensitively manage the challenges we face in implementing this new policy," Ms Child said. "Our success will in large part rely on the goodwill of patients, visitors and staff as we move forward in our commitment to building a healthy community."

Print
Increase Text Size
Decrease Text Size

comments


No comments yet. Be the first to comment below.

post a comment


Screen name  *
Email address  *
Remember me?
Comment  *
 
We invite and encourage our readers to post comments. Comments are moderated and will appear as soon as our editor has approved them. When posting comments you agree to be bound by our Terms and Conditions.

Most popular articles




Frankston Weekly







Weather brought to you by:

Weatherzone

Classifieds

Front Page

Current Issue
Privacy Policy | Conditions of Use | Advertising Terms | Copyright © 2012. Fairfax Media.
 SEND...
 SAVE...
 SHARE...