We want you, and our patients, to be healthy

Second hand smoke hurts our staff and patients and slows patient recovery – it’s a message we are taking to heart at VGH.

Smoke Free Campaign Starts this Week
Audits indicate that more than a third of the people who smoke on the VGH site are staff, the others are patients or visitors. Our goal is to have 100% staff support of the Smoke Free Premises Policy. To do this, we’re launching a new awareness and enforcement campaign. From posters, like the one at left, to information booths, we want to remind you of the policy and offer free resources and support for staff who smoke. Operation directors and human resources advisors will be touring the areas at VGH where staff smoke, reminding them of our policy and providing free resources and support, such as how to obtain nicotine replacement therapy. Staff who continue to smoke on site will receive warning letters and be asked to meet with their manager and union representative.

As healthcare workers, we have an obligation to model good health practices and to protect everyone from the toxic effects of second-hand smoke. We want you to be healthy and will provide you with supports to help you.

Support for Staff Who Smoke

• All VCH staff currently enrolled in the extended health benefits plan can access smoking cessation medications through the VCH Health Benefit Plan. For more information, check out the VCH Health Benefit Plan bulletin.
• Call 8-1-1 to access QuitNow Services for free gum or patch for 12 weeks per year. You can access this to keep you comfortable during your shift so you don’t need to go outside to smoke.
• VCH Tobacco Reduction offers free smoking cessation groups. To register, call 604-675-3801.
• If you have a group of staff who are interested in cutting down or quitting, VCH Tobacco Reduction will provide a trained facilitator for your group.

In 2008, the Smoke Free Premises Policy was implemented at all BC health authority sites, and it includes all of our buildings, grounds, sidewalks and parking lots. Unfortunately, the signage around VGH has not reduced the number of people who smoke on site. We frequently receive complaints from the public about the smoke as well as the cigarette butts that litter the ground.

You can do your part too. If you see your staff or colleagues smoke, please remind them of the Smoke Free Policy and encourage them to get support. For more information, please contact smokefree@vch.ca. We will be launching similar campaigns at other VA sites in the future.