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PRESS RELEASE: 5 October 2005

Join in the smoking debate at Addenbrooke's

Addenbrooke's Hospital is asking patients, the public and staff to join in the debate about whether the site should be smoke-free.

"Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and early death in the UK. Of course, whether you smoke or not is your choice. The question is around where smokers smoke," said Stephen Graves, Director of Corporate Development at Addenbrooke's.

There is a national move towards making the NHS smoke-free by the end of 2006. This means that there will be no smoking in and around any NHS buildings from 2007.

"We wanted to widen the debate and consider whether we should be smoke-free across the whole site, which extends to 66 acres and is home to a number of other organisations - the Medical Research Council, GlaxoSmithKline and University departments, for example," explained Stephen Graves. "As a hospital we have a duty to promote health and want to play our part while accepting that people smoke. This is why we are discussing the issue with patients, the public and staff to find out how we can take this forward."

The consultation runs from today (Wednesday 5 October) to Friday 28 October, after which time people's views will be taken into account in deciding the direction of smoking on the site. Patients, the public and staff can share their views by:

• filling in our online questionnaire at www.addenbrookes.org.uk/smokefree
• picking up a questionnaire at receptions, clinics and wards at the hospital and returning it in one of the boxes provided
• attending a public focus group meeting on Monday 17 October from 1800-1900 at the Hexagon at the Frank Lee Centre - please telephone 01223 256256 to confirm your place

Notes to editors

Did you know?

• Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 chemicals in the form of particles and gases, over 50 of which are known to be cancer-causing.
• Smoking leads to heart disease, stroke and cancer.
• More than 120,000 people in the UK die from smoking-related illnesses each year.
• Many people are concerned about the effects of second-hand smoke.
• Non-smokers breathe in side stream smoke from the burning tip of a cigarette and mainstream smoke that has been inhaled and exhaled by the smoker.

Giving up

• 70% of smokers say that they want to give up (Office of National Statistics).
• Research has shown what type of support helps smokers who do want to give up achieve this.
• The National Smoking Quit-line - telephone 0800 169 0169 - provides information about local support services for people who wish to give up smoking.
• OASIS is the Cambridge City and South Cambridgeshire local stop smoking service - telephone number 01223 723022 - and support is provided free of charge.

What happens next?

• 28 October 2005: consultation period ends
• November 2005: analysis of findings
• Late November 2005: feedback on survey findings
• December 2005: announcement of new policy
• Early 2006: new policy introduced and implemented

For further press/media information contact: PR & Communications Department, Box 53, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ; Tel: 01223 274 433; Fax: 01223 257 143; Minicom: 01223 274 604.