Smokers congregating around the door of Antrim Area Hospital have been criticised for flouting the smoke-free policy put in place by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust.
This photo was taken at the main entrance to the hospital and shows around six people, including in-patients in dressing gowns, smoking, despite clear signs indicating the no smoking policy.
The Northern Health and Social Care Trust says this is ‘not acceptable’ and it has criticised those responsible for lighting up in a no smoking zone.
“No matter what the health condition is, smoking is going against their treatment in the ward and their recovery. If you are an inpatient, please ask ward staff about managing your addiction when in hospital and for help in stopping smoking.
“If you are visiting a friend or relative in hospital, encourage them to use this time to try to stop smoking, instead of helping them to continue by bringing cigarettes or helping them to go outside. It is the single best thing anyone can do for their health,” said a Trust spokesperson.
The spokesperson also pointed out that a woman was leaving the hospital with a baby in a car seat, and had no choice but to walk through the cloud of smoke.
“A person using a wheelchair is also having issues accessing the doorway as there are smokers standing in their way. Remember, the policy is in place for a reason, to protect all those who use our sites.
“We urge all smokers to follow the policy and not smoke anywhere on our grounds. There is lots of free help available to stop smoking and people are four times more likely to quit when they have support www.stopsmokingni.info. Please help us to really go smoke free in the Northern Trust,” added the spokesperson.