Pledge to be Smokefree
It now means patients and staff will find it much easier if they decide to quit the habit and if they don’t, there is more support to help them stay smoke free while in hospital.
Chief Executive of Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) Toby Lewis and Chair Kathryn Lavery signed the relaunched pledge recently.
Emma Hillitt, who leads on the Smokefree initiative at RDaSH, said: “The pledge is designed to be a visible way for RDaSH and other NHS organisations to show our commitment to helping smokers to quit. It also shows our commitment to providing smokefree environments which can help patients and colleagues to break the habit.”
In signing the NHS Smokefree Pledge organisations commit to reduce the harm caused by tobacco through implementing comprehensive Smokefree policies. At RDaSH support includes 12 weeks of free behaviour change support and nicotine replacement therapy for any staff, inpatient or community patient.
In March last year the NHS Smokefree Pledge was relaunched to bring it in line with the Government’s ambition for England to be Smokefree by 2030. It was also to show the commitment to improve the smoking cessation support available through the NHS. The pledge has been endorsed by NHS England, the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the Association of Directors of Public Health, the Royal College of Midwives, the Faculty of Public Health, and the British Medical Association
