Hospital trust goes completely smoke free

All University Hospitals Dorset sites - including the new BEACH building in Bournemouth - are off limits to smoking tobacco products

A hospital trust has announced it will go completely smoke free on all its hospital grounds.

It means all University Hospitals Dorset sites are off limits to smoking tobacco products, including the Royal Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch hospitals, as well as the trust's off site locations across the county.

The move coincides with National No Smoking Day and includes entrances, car parks, and outdoor areas.

Vaping is permitted but must be at least 3m (9.8ft) away from doors and windows.

The trust said the decision would a offer a "healthier environment for all patients, visitors and colleagues".

Siobhan Harrington, the trust's chief executive, said: "The NHS increasingly cares for people with long-term health conditions, and we must do more to create an environment that supports healthier choices.

"Tobacco is the leading cause of preventable death so we need to take proactive steps to prevent the very diseases we frequently treat."

Dr Peter Wilson, chief medical officer, added: "This isn't easy - smoking is not a lifestyle choice or a bad habit - it is a powerful addiction.

"That's why we're here to support our colleagues and patients to quit for good. In fact, treating tobacco addiction is now a standard of care in our hospitals."

University Hospitals Dorset said it had a dedicated Tobacco Addiction Care and Treatment Service that offered support to all inpatients who smoke.

Its Smoking in Pregnancy Team also offers support to pregnant women and their families throughout their time at the hospital, "helping people abstain or quit for good".