COUNCIL chiefs and commissioners have backed a controversial move to ban smoking within the grounds of all the mental health facilities in East Lancashire.

The blanket rule, which was brought in last month across all sites run by Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, means patients detained under the Mental Health Act are forced to abstain from smoking during the course of their admission, as they are unable to leave the premises.

MORE TOP STORIES:

Before last month, patients in secure wards would be escorted into a garden area for cigarette breaks.

The trust’s bosses said the policy, which also covers e-cigarettes, follows national guidance and patients will instead be offered nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches or chewing gum.

A joint letter from Dominic Harrison, director of public health at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, director of public health at Lancashire County Council, and Dr Chris Clayton, clinical chief officer at Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group, said they supported the ban.

The letter said: “Of those people hospitalised with a mental health condition, up to 70 per cent smoke and around 50 per cent are heavy, more dependent smokers.

“The fact is patients with mental health problems are more likely to smoke than the general population.

“They also suffer disproportionately higher rates of physical illnesses and die earlier as a result.

“For example, a UK study has highlighted that men and women living with schizophrenia die an average of 10 to 15 years earlier than the national average and the death rate from respiratory disease is three times higher in this group.

“Around 70 per cent of these excess deaths are smoking-related.

“This recommendation is about giving people equal life chances by changing the culture whereby smoking is acceptable on NHS grounds, making it easier for staff to set a clear example in helping patients with mental health problems cut down and successfully quit smoking while in their care.”

Staff and campaigners raised serious concerns about the policy, saying the ban could lead to increased agitation, aggression and violence on the wards.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals, already uses the policy.

However, the Lancashire Telegraph has repeatedly highlighted the problem of patients flouting the rules by smoking at the main entrance of the Royal Blackburn Hospitals.

This is despite large signs reminding smokers “his is a no smoking trust”.