Denbighshire County Council and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board are working in partnership to remind residents that hospital grounds, as well as school grounds, public playgrounds, outdoor day care and child-minding settings, are now required to be smoke-free.
Emlyn Jones,
Denbighshire County Council’s Head of Planning and Public Protection, said: “We
will be working with the health board to assist their approach of advice and
guidance to those visiting hospital sites.
“Smoking is
extremely harmful and damaging to health and remains one of the main causes of
inequalities in health in Wales. These measures have been introduced by Welsh
Government to protect employees and the public from the harmful effects of
second-hand smoke.
“Smoking will
no longer be tolerated on hospital grounds. Officers will only be called to
take enforcement as a last resort when it is clear people are ignoring the
legislation and where the health board has taken all reasonable measures. Our
main focus will be on assisting the health board in providing advice and
guidance. Our officers will be dealing sympathetically and compassionately with
patients experiencing difficult circumstances in line with the guidance
contained within the legislation.
“I would also
like to thank the health board for their increased efforts around encouraging
people to quit smoking in light of this new legislation.”
Teresa Owen,
Executive Director of Public Health, said: "The new Welsh Government
regulations will support our efforts to help people quit smoking.
"We
welcome the assistance we're receiving from our Local Authority colleagues to
help keep public areas smoke free."
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