Hospital smoking ban
in force next month
by John Hendon
SMOKING is to be completely banned in Warrington Hospital from September 1.
North Cheshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the hospital and Halton General Hospital at Runcorn, will bring its Smoke Free Hospital policy into force 16 months ahead of a national ban on smoking in health service premises.
The policy, which applies to staff, patients and visitors, will ban smoking in the premises at Warrington Hospital and Halton General.
Smoking will be restricted to designated external bays on both sites.
The Trust will support the policy with smoking cessation services and guidance for staff and patients. Drop in sessions with expert advice from dieticians and respiratory nurse specialists have also been arranged.
Sheila Samuels, the Trust’s Director of Human Resources, said: “As a provider of healthcare and as a responsible employer, we have a duty to protect patients, staff and visitors from the serious health risks caused by exposure to tobacco smoke, as well as promoting the health benefits of stopping smoking.
“Clearly this policy will not force people to give up smoking, but it will support them to do so if they wish. Restricting smoking to designated areas will also prevent non-smokers from inhaling cigarette smoke.”
Steve Owen, Consultant Physician in Respiratory Medicine, said he sees the detrimental effects of smoking on a daily basis, with patients battling against conditions including lung cancer and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
He said: “The bottom line is smoking is bad for people who smoke and everybody around them.
“We now know that a person who smokes throughout their adult life can shorten their life expectancy by an average of 10 years.
“Clearly a hospital, even more so than other public buildings, should be a smoke free environment and I am sure every clinician in this Trust and across the country is fully supportive of any reasonable measures to stop people smoking.”
The policy has been drawn up following consultation with staff and patient representatives. The Trust has also attended regular meetings of the Smoke Free NHS Healthcare Premises Forum, alongside other Primary Care Trusts and Hospital Trusts from across the region.
The Smoke Free Hospital Policy will be signposted at hospital entrances and inside Trust premises, in-patient information leaflets and posters, the Trust’s intranet and all communications with other agencies such as the Ambulance Service and contractors.
The NHS has announced in its public health white paper Choosing Health that it will become a smoke-free organisation by the end of 2006.
Nationally, more than 120,000 people die each year and many thousands more suffer from respiratory and cardiac conditions as a result of smoking. Non smokers too are at risk and more than 1,000 die each year from breathing in other people’s smoke.
The health benefits from stopping smoking are numerous, and even include helping patients to recover faster following an operation.
Student Jezella
heads for Oxford
by staff reporter
A FORMER student at Warrington’s Priestley College is preparing for a big challenge having accepted a place at Oxford Brookes University.
Jezella Garner, aged 20, recently completed a Foundation Art Diploma at the college, from which she graduated, with flying colours.
The former Birchwood High School pupil who lives in Gorse Covert was just one of many high performing students to graduate from the pathway this year and her work, which was displayed at the college’s end of year art exhibition, was particularly well received.
Jezella has opted to tackle a BA Honours degree course in Fine Art at Brookes and will embark on her new venture at the university next month
Aluminium can recycling
will fund trees in Africa
by staff reporter
A NEW campaign has been launched in Warrington to encourage householders to get into the recycling habit.
The campaign, Trees for the UK/Trees for Africa, was launched at Bank Park, and will give the borough one native tree for every tonne of aluminium cans and foil recycled.
At the same time it will help grow trees in a sustainable forest project in West Africa.
The aim is to encourage householders to get into the recycling habit, and everybody is being asked to get behind the scheme.
Residents can take their cans to local bring sites or to the recycling and household waste centres located at Gatewarth, Woolston and Stockton Heath.
Bring sites are located throughout the borough at supermarkets and car parks and have facilities to recycle cans and a range of other materials such as glass, paper, textiles, plastics and shoes.
Coun John Joyce, leader of the council, said: “This is a great campaign to encourage residents to get into the recycling habit. This is just one of many initiatives taking place across the borough so there really is no excuse not to get involved. Recycling is vital if we are to protect the environment in which we live and reduce the amount of waste going into landfill and if everyone does there bit then we can achieve our goals.”
Firms urged to get
together – and create!
by staff reporter
COMPANIES are being invited to network and discuss creative ideas when Warrington hosts the Creative Industries Scene next month.
This free event, which takes place on Thursday September 8 from 6.30pm at Pyramid, has been organised by the borough council’s economic development team and aims to encourage companies, of all sizes, to meet with other creative industries to discuss ideas and put forward views on how the network can move forward.
The evening will feature talks from Business Link Cheshire and Warrington and CRISP, the Creative Industry Support Project.
To reserve a place and find out further information on the network contact Helen Williams on 01925 715115 or email [email protected]
Flying boats – but no
magic at canal festival
by staff reporter
ALICE in Wonderland is the theme for the National Festival and Boat Show being held this year on the Bridgewater Canal at Preston Brook, near Warrington – but the organisers decided not to rely on magic when it came to moving full size narrow boats between land and water.
Although most of the nearly 500 boats expected will be arriving by water and mooring along the towing path in a spectacular two-mile display of craft, some have to make other arrangements.
These are mainly the exhibition boats – either brand new boats from the country’s leading boat builders or historic boats.
Some of these boats have travelled to the Boat & Butty boatyard at Runcorn.
Owner of the boat yard Paul Jones has allowed his site to be used for the huge crane that is necessary to lift these boats and it will be on site from 8.30am till 12.30am on Wednesday (August 24), lifting boats into the Bridgewater canal so they can cruise to their moorings at the Festival site where they will be on display to the general public during the Festival.
Not all boats are displayed on water, however. Some will be on land, and so after the crane has finished at the Boat & Butty it will move to the Festival site where it will be kept busy lifting boats into their display positions.
A festival spokesman said: “It’s not often there is a chance to see such big boats flying through the air, but we would remind people that though you are welcome to watch, please realise that this is a working environment and stay at a safe distance and obey any safety instructions.”
10k road race
this Sunday
by staff reporter
THE 22nd Birchwood 10k road race takes place at Warrington this Sunday, August 21.
Organised by Spectrum Striders Running Club, the event starts at 10.30am from The Silver Birch, in Dewhurst Road, Birchwood.
Prizes worth more than ?4,0
00 will be available and all finishers will receive a luxury bath towel bearing the race logo.
The current course records are held by Paul Roden, of Sale Harriers, of 29 minutes 14 seconds, set in 1992 and by Amy Waterlow, also of Sale Harriers, of 33 minutes 44 seconds, set in 1999.
A one mile fun run is also being held, starting at 9.45am with awards for all finishers.
Details are available from 01925 827841 or from the Spectrum Striders website www.spectrumstriders.org.uk
News in brief
Jump threat
POLICE manage to “talk down” a man threatening to jump into the Mersey at Bridge Foot, Warrington.
Road closure
WARRINGTON Borough Council intends to make an order closing parts of Stocks Lane, Penketh and parts of the footpath in Stocks Lane, for about three weeks from Friday, August 26. This is to enable drainage connection works to be carried out.
Dog show
A DOG show is being held at the RSPCA kennels site in Slutcher’s Lane, Warrington, this Sunday (August 21). It starts at noon and continues until 4pm.
Charity sale
A TABLE top sale and raffle is being held at St Hilda’s Mission, Latchford, Warrington on Saturday, August 27 to raise funds for the Osteoporosis Society. Admission is free.
