The no smoking ban within the grounds of Cornhill hospital is an infringement of patients rights to make decisions for themselves under section 8 of the civil rights act.
Im sure we would all agree that smoking is bad for us...no brainer, and I'm also pretty sure we would all agree that a designated smoking room within the wards were staff dont enter,is also not a very good idea. However to aggressively enforce stopping smoking on a patient who is mentally ill and often very confused is tantamount to inflicting torture!
These vulnerable members of our society are there to receive care and should have the right to be treated with compassion and dignity.
I should also point out the very significant safety aspect of this ban as it is causing patients to "sneek" a sly fag, usually under their covers or in the toilet areas, which is of course a serious fire risk..
I will suggest that this is a HUGE waste of staff resources. They now spend the majority of their day either: taking patients(who are permitted off ward) to the hospital entrance to have a cigarette, stopping patients from smoking in the hospitals open air LOCKED gardens, restraining patients who do light up and therefore causing deep distress to both patients and staff, or following patients who do smoke to ensure their safety. When what they are there to do and want to do is care for their patients. They are not employed as security guards, they are and should be allowed to be wonderful care givers.
Surely it is obvious that inflicting additional trauma to someone who is already suffering mental health issues will make recovery longer and therefore end up causing a significant increase in the budget needed when funds could be put to use much more effectively?
Please sign to help us demand that NHS Grampian use the exemption that the Scottish government has allowed for mental health units. Even a convict guilty of the most heinous crimes is given the right to have a cigarette if they want to! Why can a small area in the garden not be used as a designated smoking area? It would let the staff do the job they were employed to do and currently cannot do effectively. It would give the patients the right to make up their own mind and would stop the extreme added distress this ban is causing them. And it would still give the staff the right to clean air as they would be able to observe patients in an open air area without being near any second hand smoke. Pleas sign and demand that these very vulnerable members of our society are given a little dignity andare again allowed to be treated with the care and compassion they deserve...THANK YOU
