Exemption from the smoking ban in mental health hospitals in Wales
Intended for healthcare professionals
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Exemption from the smoking ban in mental health hospitals in Wales

Violet Ann Borgia Practitioner for mental health, Mental Health NHS Collaboratively Commissioned Services, Whitchurch Hospital, Whitchurch
Gillian Olumide Senior lecturer, College of human and health sciences, Swansea University

Violet Ann Borgia and Gillian Olumide investigate staff attitudes about this regulation and their professional responsibilities concerning patients who smoke

The 2007 Welsh smoking ban in public places exempts mental health hospitals. This qualitative study aims to evaluate professional attitudes to the exemption by gathering the opinions of mental healthcare professionals working in a medium secure forensic hospital in Wales. Using semi-structured interviews, with a sample of 13 healthcare professionals, the study shows the previously unknown views of staff about the Welsh exemption. Opinions about it were mixed. Six emergent themes were identified, ranging from human rights questions to individual choice and staff training. The participants agreed that the current legislation caused confusion among staff and patients, with the consensus being that the smoking regulations should be the same across the UK, but especially between England and Wales.

Mental Health Practice. 19, 2, 21-25. doi: 10.7748/mhp.19.2.21.s18

Correspondence

violet.borgia3@wales.nhs.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to double-blind review and has been checked using antiplagiarism software

Conflict of interest

None declared

Received: 08 August 2014

Accepted: 24 November 2014

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