New Year will usher in total smoking ban on Homerton Hospital’s premises

A total smoking ban on Homerton Hospital’s premises will come into force in the New Year.

Red lines will be painted at the access points to the hospital grounds stating “no smoking beyond this point”, and signs and posters will also be on display.

Any patients who receive hospital care at home will be asked not to smoke for an hour before staff arrive – who can refuse to treat patients in a smoke-filled environment.

Vaping will be allowed in Homerton’s grounds as long as users steer clear from doors and windows.

Staff have already been forbidden from smoking on site since October.

Chief Nurse Sheila Adam said: “Smoking remains the number one health risk to people in this country and is the cause of many diseases and conditions which cost the NHS millions of pounds a year to treat. It is right and proper that we should be discouraging smoking on NHS sites.”