‘Smoke-free’ NHS: why is it still a struggle for so many sites?

Smokers remain a common sight outside hospitals, despite site-wide bans. On-site cessation teams, e-cigarette use and staff support are all part of the solution

• Hospital buildings in the UK have been smoke-free since 2007, yet it is still common to see people smoking on or near hospital entrances
• Zero tolerance, a change of vape policy, brief and frequent interventions and robust cessation support can all help uphold smoke-free policies
• How to use the ‘very brief advice’ intervention, NICE guidance on smoke-free policies and an inpatient cessation support case study

Smoking in hospital buildings has been banned in every part of the UK since 2007.

Since then, policies have been