Londonderry: Smoking shelter demolished as trust clamps down

The Western Health Trust is stepping up its campaign to become totally smoke free.

A smoking shelter outside Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry is to be demolished on Monday.

The trust's new policy means smokers will not be able to use such shelters or to smoke in their cars on trust premises.

The new stricter smoking ban will be enforced in buildings, at entrances, on pavements and in car parks.

A trust spokeswoman said: "The Western Trust will become a completely smoke free campus on 12 March 2014, National No Smoking Day, making the trust the first smoke free health and social care trust in Northern Ireland.

"No smoking will be allowed on site for patients, service users, staff, members of the public and contracted workers.

"This is a step further than the previous policy as there will be no shelter where patients can smoke and staff will not be allowed to smoke in their cars on site."