The L&D is going smokefree!

From Monday 3 August, Luton and Dunstable University Hospital will be a smokefree site.  This means that patients, visitors and staff will be asked not to smoke, or vape, within the hospital’s grounds.

Signage will be placed around the hospital buildings and site to promote the smokefree status and staff will be trained to offer advice around quitting smoking. A new text code has been created so that any staff, patients or visitors just need to text ‘QUIT’ to 88802 to access professional stop smoking support and advice. Blue cards with information about the smokefree policy and information for Stop Smoking support will also be handed out across the site.

This is another step in a national ambition to achieve a Smokefree NHS by the end of 2020. The burden of smoking on the NHS is massive:

• In 2018/19, 2450 hospital admissions in Central Bedfordshire were attributable to smoking
• The total annual cost is estimated at £12.4 million, with a further £4.4 million in social care costs
• As many as 25% of patients in acute hospital beds are smokers

Millions of smokers can be reached through health services and, by going smokefree, Luton and Dunstable University Hospital has a fantastic opportunity to  help more people within local communities to access the right support to quit smoking for good.

For further information about the Smokefree plans or for advice on quitting smoking contact the Stop Smoking Service on 0800 013 0553  or click here to refer yourself via the website. There’s lots of FREE support on offer and by using the help that’s right for you, you’ll be boosting your chance of quitting for good.

Ruth Dean

July 2020