Roles created to help smokers on hospital grounds

Trust officials said they dealt with about 30 formal complaints about smoking each year

New dedicated officers will give people found smoking in the grounds of Nottingham's hospitals advice on quitting.

All Nottingham University Hospital (NUH) NHS Trust buildings and grounds have been smoke-free since 2006.

Officials said the trust dealt with about 30 formal complaints - and more unofficial ones - every year about smokers gathering around entrances.

Now, two new roles have been created to speak to smokers about help and guidance on stopping the habit.

The hospital said it wanted to protect patients and staff

Currently, the trust talks to inpatients and maternity patients identified as smokers, offering support via the NUH Tobacco Dependency Service.

This can involve nicotine-replacement therapy (NRT) and a 12-week stop smoking programme.

Staff are offered support via the Smokefree app.

The trust said at the moment others found smoking might be encouraged by staff to go elsewhere.

The new officers will highlight quitting initiatives and support using a nationally-approved system called the Very Brief Advice (VBA) method.

They will not, however, be expected to ask smokers to immediately stop or move away.

Zahida Niazi, Smokefree lead at NUH, said: "Smokers are not just putting their own health at risk, but the health of anyone around them.

"Stopping people smoking on our hospital grounds will protect patients, visitors, and staff from the harmful effects of second-hand smoke."

The new officer roles are expected to start in August.

Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.