By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor

01 November 2004

Smoking will be banned throughout the NHS as part of the Government's drive to deliver better public health across the country.

Ministers have decided that the spectacle of nurses, doctors and patients smoking outside many hospitals has to stop.

The White Paper on public health to be published in mid-November will announce the intention of John Reid, the Health Secretary, to order a smoking ban throughout the NHS on all hospital and primary care trust property. Family doctors who are contractors who own their own premises will be invited to follow suit.

The only exception may be long-term treatment centres for the mentally ill, where tobacco may have a calming effect on patients.

Dr Howard Stoate, a Labour MP and practising family doctor, welcomed the ban. "It sends out entirely the wrong message to patients who are trying to give up smoking to see doctors and nurses standing outside their hospital or in the car park lighting up. Most people would strongly support a ban on smoking across the NHS. At the moment, it is open to hospitals to allow smoking and it should be stopped."

Anti-smoking campaigners last night also said the smoking ban in NHS hospitals was long overdue. "Hospitals have been reluctant to impose a ban because consultants smoke," said a spokesman for Action on Smoking and Health (ASH).

Many nurses also find it difficult to give up smoking, and like to have a cigarette when they have a break. Under the new rules, they would have to wait until they are off NHS property before they can light up.

A majority of NHS hospital trusts are thought to have some form of smoking restrictions in force, but a minority have a total ban.

"It sends out completely the wrong message for the NHS to allow people to stand outside the front door of hospitals smoking while people are coming in with heart attacks and other illnesses caused by smoking," said the ASH spokesman.

However, the campaigners say an NHS ban would not go far enough. They want Mr Reid to announce a workplace ban on smoking across the country to protect workers from the effects of passive smoking, particularly in pubs and restaurants.

Mr Reid has indicated to colleagues that he is not prepared to countenance a blanket ban on smoking in public places, although he is said to be considering workplace smoking bans across other sectors, such as restaurants, while leaving pubs where there is no food to continue to allow smoking.

"He is going to be tougher than people think," said a minister. "We are wary of being accused by the Daily Mail of adopting the policies of the nanny state. On the other hand, he is serious about public health. He will ban smoking throughout the NHS as a first step."

Liverpool City Council voted recently to support a public smoking ban in its area, provoking speculation that, like fluoride, the Government will seek a way out by allowing communities to decide for themselves, after consultation. That would lead to a patchwork of bans across the country, and is not favoured by ministers.

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