Three more fined at Ninewells including on-call emergency nurse

An emergency on-call nurse has been fined for smoking during her break time at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. The details are here.

In spite of a commenter declaring 'public support = 0', personally my support for this person is high, because she's on a hiding to nothing. The enforcement officers have issued a fine to someone who is contractually bound, as an on-call duty officer, not to leave the grounds. She was unable to comply with the smoking policy's requirement to go off the site. Such a person is supposed to accept a requirement to renounce smoking throughout her shift or face criminal sanctions. Had she gone off site to smoke she would also been in breach of her contract. . I also don't see why people should expect employees of a health service (especially one that is free at the point of need) to be walking exemplars of how to live healthily in all their break times. Are we expected to raid nurses' lunch boxes and extract anything with too much sugar or salt in it?

I don't see why the Health Board should be entitled unilaterally to change her conditions of service without issuing a new contract of employment, in pursuit of anti-smoking dogma.

Just give them a big, airy room with ash trays, tea and coffee facilities, and comfortable seating. That will solve the doorway smoking problem instantly. Oh sorry, have I said that before?

One Fine Issued at Ninewells Hospital, Dundee

On the second day, they managed to impose a £50 fine on someone for dropping a cigarette butt. Well, that's democracy in action. ASH Scotland couldn't resist including this report in their daily news bulletin, even though there was no url as the story appeared only in its paper edition.

The enforcement officers came to Ninewells on Monday, at the start of what is expected to be a year-long campaign. Smokers were approached. but since they complied when requested to stub out, no fines were issued.

You can almost hear them counting the cost of this exercise. Why don't they just open a large, pleasant, airy waiting room with ashtrays and tea and coffee facilities and the doorway area will be cleared of smokers in a trice.

Incidentally, it was good to see the contribution from Lesley Riddoch to the NHS Grampian debate on Monday. It is only available to subscribers unfortunately but we have had the benefit of correspondence from readers since it appeared: A ban too far yesterday, and Smoking ills today.