A SERIES of measures are being taken to stop people smoking on hospital grounds in Worcestershire.

Earlier this month it was announced smoking is to be banned anywhere on the grounds of Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital from Wednesday, June 17.

At a meeting of the board of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – which runs the three sites – on Wednesday, March 25, director of workforce and organisational development Denise Harmin said a working group had been formed to ensure the ban was as effective as possible.

“We know full well if we close down one area we’ll just move it to another,” she said.

“The group is working with security as to how they are going to make these areas less attractive.”

Measures being put in place include removing the existing smoking shelters and new signage.

The trust is also looking into installing audio sensors around the hospitals which will tell smokers to step and staff – who have been banned from smoking on the sites since last year – are being asked not to be seen lighting up while in uniform, on duty or wearing an identification tag.

Any staff breaching these regulations could be subject to a warning or disciplinary action.

Although all three hospitals have designated smoking shelters, patients are often seen smoking outside the entrances.