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NSW Coat of Arms New South Wales Government New South Wales Department of Health South East Sydney Illawarra Health Service
South East Sydney Illawarra Health Service  
 
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A Breath Of Fresh Air

Important information about smoke free health care

South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health (SESIH) is a smoke free environment.

What does this mean?

It is a condition of entry that you won’t smoke on SESIH property.

Smoking is not permitted anywhere on SESIH property (which includes all our 22 facilities such as hospitals and dental clinics, community health centres, courtyards, outdoors areas, buildings, cafes, walkways entrances and car parks), and this also covers outdoor areas, buildings, cafes, walkways, entrances and car parks for the public or staff.

Why is smoking banned on public health property?

  • Cigarette smoking is the largest preventable cause of illness and death in Australia.
  • NSW Health requires all health facilities to be totally smoke free. This is to protect staff, patients and visitors - the majority of whom don’t smoke - from the harmful effects of tobacco smoke.
  • Breathing in other people’s cigarette smoke (passive smoking) causes many of the same diseases as active smoking.
  • Half of all smokers die as a result of their smoking, 50% in their middle years.

If you do decide to take this opportunity to quit, the benefits can begin almost immediately;

  • Within just six hours your heart rate slows down and your blood pressure drops.
  • After two days, all the carbon monoxide is out of your system and your lungs begin to recover by removing mucous.
  • Within three months cilia (small hairs inside your lungs) begin to re-grow. This improves your lungs’ ability to clean themselves. Lung function may be increased by up to 30%.
  • Within one year - the risk of heart attack is reduced by half.
  • Within 10 years - the risk of dying from lung cancer is reduced by half.
  • Within 15 years - the risk of dying from a heart attack is equal to a person who has never smoked.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

If you are a smoker who needs to come to hospital, but agree not to smoke during your stay, we can help you:

  • Patients can undergo a simple Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Assessment, to determine the level of NRT required.
  • A NRT Assessment will usually be carried out within the first 24 hours of your hospital stay. 
  • Patients assessed as suitable for NRT will be assisted with free NRT (gum, lozenges and patches) during their hospital stay.
  • The NRT products offered are only for the patient’s hospital stay. 

  • We are also providing NRT to our staff who smoke.

Complying with the policy

  • We have advertised and promoted the policy widely with No Smoking signs displayed at all major entrances.  Also, all patients/clients will receive written information about the smoke free policy as part of the admission process.
  • Less than 20% of the people in our Area smoke, and we understand that most people will do the right thing.
  • Anyone who is found smoking and refuses to extinguish their cigarette, will be asked to leave the premises immediately.
  • Patients who wish to leave the premises to have a cigarette, will be required to sign a waiver form.  However, in some circumstances, some patients will be advised against this due to medical or safety reasons.

Exemptions

It is recognised that nicotine is a highly addictive substance and some smokers may have difficulty in complying with SESIH’s Smoke Free Workplace Policy. 

Under very exceptional circumstances, and based on clinical indications, individual exemptions may be granted.

A request for an exemption can be directed to the ward’s Nursing Unit Manager, who will need to prepare an application for the Network General Manager.  If this is successfully considered, the Network General Manager will forward the exemption to the Smoke Free Exemption Review Committee.  This Committee will make recommendations to the Chief Executive, who will make the final decision. 

Applications for exemptions to the Policy should only be considered in extraordinary circumstances.

More Information

We understand that the no smoking policy may be difficult for some patients, but we have qualified staff on hand to address your needs and concerns.

To find out more about the smoke free policy including answers to common questions, go to: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/policies/PD/2005/pdf/
PD2005_375.pdf

Stopping smoking is the single most important decision you can make to improve your health!

March 2008
 
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