New initiative to prevent fires on wards

Smoking

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust has partnered with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service to implement a total ban on all smoking materials on its wards and inpatient units, in a bid to reduce the number of fires that are caused by covert smoking.

The ban now means that patients can no longer bring cigarettes, matches and lighters, or any other smoking-related products, onto wards. Instead there are now personal lockers for patients to store items safely.

A promotional campaign called ‘There’s no smoke without fire’ has been devised to help wards implement the ban and educate patients about the dangers of covert smoking.

Commenting on the initiative Colin Waite, Fire Safety Manager for Pennine Care, said: “Since the smoking ban came into force in 2007, we have seen an increase in the number of covert smoking incidents, including patients smoking in toilets, cupboards and even under bed sheets.

“Last year around 700 patients were found to be smoking on our wards and inpatient areas, which significantly increases the risk of fire and often causes the activation of fire alarms, wasting the fire service’s time and causing disruption to staff and patients on the ward.”

Chairman of Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Authority, Councillor David Acton, said: “Smoking is one of the biggest causes of fire in homes and properties in Greater Manchester as well as being one of the biggest causes of cancer.

“Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service works tirelessly to prevent fires and that includes giving people advice about how dangerous smoking can be and crews always tell people to never smoke in bed, because this is how fires can start.

“With this in mind, the news that Pennine Care is going smoke free on their wards is good to hear and it could help reduce false alarm callouts which are equally detrimental to patients, visitors and NHS staff as they are to firefighters.”

Pennine Care provides community and mental health services across Rochdale, Bury, and Oldham, as well as mental health services in Stockport and Tameside and Glossop.