Patients routinely smoking in hospitals, despite ban

Mental health patients are routinely smoking on trust premises, and do not have enough support to stop, despite the threat of tightening rules.

Public health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) surveyed mental health trusts at the end of last year and found  that although the vast majority of had smoke-free policies, fewer than half were able to support their patients to stop smoking.

ASH found mental health patients still routinely smoked on trust sites, often with the support of staff, and with “patchy” tobacco dependence treatment.

The charity warned implementation of “tobacco dependence treatment services” had been inhibited by “staff attitudes and beliefs, lack of capacity and resources, lack of leadership, and inadequate or poorly enforced policy”.

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Source: HSJ, 18 March 2025