Kudos to the Tobacco Reduction Program and many others who helped make the Smoke-Free Campaign at VGH a success: they’ve been recognized with an Award of Merit by the Excellence in BC Health Care Awards in the area of Workplace Health Innovation. Presented by the Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC), the Excellence in BC Health Care Awards recognize the efforts of health care employees who provide quality care and support to the people of this province and acknowledge excellence and innovation in publicly funded health care.

Smoke-Free Campaign

Since 2008 when the smoke-free premises policies were adopted by health care sites across BC, some VCH sites have struggled with compliance with the policy, namely VGH. VGH has received many complaints from staff, physicians, patients and visitors about smokers on site, particularly near entrances. In 2012, the VCH Tobacco Control Team, led by Christina Tonella, launched an innovative “Smoke-Free Campaign” at VGH. Key

components of the campaign included a staff education initiative launched with a music video that advised staff of the policy and the availability of smoking cessation resources, an extensive communication campaign using

posters, sandwich boards, sidewalk pavement signs and computer screen savers, installation of innovative smoke detectors on VGH grounds that provide a verbal message telling smokers to leave the premises, and development and implementation of tools to facilitate screening of patients for tobacco use and provision of nicotine replacement therapy.

Key people

Some of the key staff involved in the campaign received the award at a gala luncheon on June 23. Left to right: Laura Case, Goldie Luong, Mike Petrie, Christina Tonella, Leah Hawirko, Rian Dodds, Richard Taki

Key to the success of the initiative was the engagement on the project team of senior leaders from VGH, Vivian Eliopoulos, Goldie Luong, and VGH directors team, Tobacco Reduction team (Leah Hawirko, Ely Weston, Mitchell Chow, Sandi Yang and Tobacco Reduction Coordinators); Human Resources, Wayne Balshin and Ken Casorso; Jeffery Young, Integrated Protection Services; Mike Petrie, Support Services; Rian Dodds, Maintenance; Communications, Tiffany Akins; and Public Health.
The project has demonstrated success through reduction of the number of smokers on the VGH grounds and complaints received. The campaign tools have been shared with other health authorities across the province and Canada.

Campaign results

The number of staff found smoking on VGH grounds decreased 24% in 2013 compared to the number prior to the campaign. The number of patients found smoking did not decrease significantly, and indicates more focus is needed in educating patients and providing nicotine replacement therapy. The number of complaints about people smoking on VGH grounds declined significantly after the campaign, from 30 in the six months before the campaign to five in the six months afterwards. This was an 83% reduction.