COUNCILLORS said it was up to them to be the anti-smoking trailblazers, after hearing that Swindon and Wiltshire hospitals were struggling to stop smokers lighting up at NHS sites.

Wiltshire Council has committed to enforce its new no smoking policy robustly, after highlighting that some hospitals with the same policy were failing to do so.

Although Swindon’s Great Western Hospital and the Royal United Hospital in Bath went smoke free on January 1, councillors heard that issues around enforcement meant smoking had not been completely stopped within hospital grounds.

Coun Alison Bucknell, chairman of the Staffing Policy Committee, said: “It appears it is not easily enforceable and the behaviour continues. Although they have trial blazed the way, it is up to us to be the real trailblazers.”

Wiltshire Council has imposed a smoking ban across its three sites in Bourne Hill in Salisbury, County Hall in Trowbridge and Monkton Park in Chippenham.

Coun Jerry Wickham, Wiltshire Council cabinet member for public health, said: “We are proud to be smokefree. We know there will be a transition period for staff and the public but we are determined to promote our hubs as more welcoming environments for visitors.

“We also hope this might encourage people to reduce their smoking or even quit for good if they can. We know it’s a big challenge to give up but we have plenty of support to help people on their way to becoming smokefree.”

At the start of the year, GWH announced with much aplomb that it would be banning smoking on the hospital site.

Chief nurse Julie Marshman said: "Clean air is important for everyone, especially in a hospital environment. Making our trust a no smoking site is the right thing to do for all of our staff, patients and visitors.

"We understand that quitting smoking is a personal choice, but there are lots of resources available to help those who do want to give it up."

In February, GWH said it was not issuing fines to those caught smoking. "Our aim is to develop a culture where smoking is viewed as unacceptable," executives said.

Many visitors have found discarded cigarette butts scattered outside the hospital entrance unsightly. In a letter to the GWH chief executive, shared with the Advertiser, Joy Simpson, of Royal Wootton Bassett, wrote last year: “It saddens me greatly that the entrance to our fine hospital is spoilt in this way.”

Responding to the criticism, a spokeswoman for the Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said: “As a Trust, that has recently introduced a smoke free policy we understand that it’s not an overnight process and that everyone needs the right and most appropriate support and advice for them to be able to quit. 
"However, it’s great to see so many organisations joining in the efforts to become smoke free, healthy and clean environments for all staff, patients and visitors.”