Grassroots efforts to reduce on site smoking at LGH pay off
Seven years after Vancouver Coastal Health implemented a health authority wide ban on smoking on its sites, the Lions Gate Hospital campus is seeing a significant improvement in compliance with the policy as a result of some grassroots efforts by staff and operational leaders.
In two recent audits completed by Paladin Security and the VCH Tobacco Reduction Team, fewer people were observed smoking on the campus, the numbers of “hot spots” (aka places where people gather to smoke on site) have decreased, and overall tobacco litter being cleaned up on a weekly basis is down compared to last year.
The department with the greatest improvement? Acute Psychiatry. So how did the floor that used to have the highest inpatient smoking rate wind up having the fewest number of offenders of the smoking policy in less than a year?
The answer lies in planning and focused use of resources. In preparation for the transition to the new HOpe Centre, Acute Psychiatry staff implemented an enhanced smoke-free premises policy which includes:
- screening all admitted patients for tobacco use
- safeguarding all tobacco products and ignition sources until patients go home
- providing therapeutic dosing of nicotine replacement therapy
- offering tobacco cessation education and counselling for patients
Friendly reminders on walkabouts have an effect
On any given day of the week, members of the Lions Gate Hospital Smoke-free Advisory Committee pair up and take a walkabout around the campus to remind staff, visitors, and patients of the VCH Smoke-Free Premises Policy.
When they spot offenders they politely ask them to stop smoking or move off campus. For staff members who continue to be found in non-compliance of the policy, a progressive enforcement policy involving Human Resources is started.
Additionally, the committee has created and posted numerous new signs and sandwich boards on the campus reminding people of the policy and to not dispose of their cigarette butts in the planters and flowers. Committee members meet monthly to discuss campaign progress and brainstorm ways to improve policy compliance. The committee is chaired by Leanne Appleton and is made up of members of Lions Gate Hospital Senior Leadership Team, VCH Tobacco Reduction, Paladin Security, Aramark and North Shore Medical Health Officer Dr. Mark Lysyshyn.
If you have suggestions or feedback for the committee, contact Lindsay MacDonald, Regional Tobacco Reduction Coordinator, North Shore & Sea to Sky at lindsay.macdonald@vch.ca
Richard Brousseau
I was able to quit smoking after smoking for 32 years. I know how hard it can be when the urge hits, but I also know that our medical system is over used by individuals who have developed breathing problems and require constant visits to our hospitals and clinics for them.
I suggest that if those individuals attending a hospital due to a smoking induced issue, they should at that time not be given the priveldge of a tax payers health care system,,,,,,,,but should be made to pay out of their own pockets for any threatment that they must receive. I believe if this would have been the case when I started I probably never would have started. At one pack a day per year these people are paying approximately $3640 annually to get themselves into such a state, if they can afford that much money to get to such a state then they should be able to afford to pay for the medical help they required for the self inflicted damage.
I have seen individuals attend hospitals with breathing problems, they go to the ER, are given O2 treatment but then go outside with the O2 tank to have a smoke. Talk about wanting to put an end to it.
If smokers are unwilling to help themselves then why should the tax payers have to pay for their treatments. Don’t get me wrong, I have family members who are chain smokers but this might cause them to finally quit.