Totally Smokefree

All Alfred Health sites are Totally Smokefree. This means that smoking is not permitted in any indoor or outdoor areas within our property boundaries and should be observed at all times. This includes the use of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and other related products.

As a leading health service, we want patients, residents, visitors, contractors, volunteers and staff to enjoy a safe, healthy and comfortable environment. That’s why we are proud to be Totally Smokefree.

Totally Smokefree applies to all people who access Alfred Health sites – patients, residents, visitors, contractors, volunteers and employees.

No staff member is at any stage obliged to expose themselves to environmental tobacco smoke while undertaking work on behalf of Alfred Health. Alfred Health employees shall not escort patients for the purposes of smoking (regardless of whether or not the employee is willing).

We are committed to assisting patients who smoke to adapt to a smokefree environment.

Our pharmacists provide clinical leadership in the identification, assessment and management of nicotine dependency among inpatients. Such management approaches may include brief intervention and the provision of supports such as nicotine replacement therapy. Patients with particularly complex dependency may be referred to the intensive smoking cessation service.

Some patients may choose to access these supports while others may prefer to refrain from smoking without assistance.

We recognise that, in some cases, patients may still wish to smoke and will choose to move outside of the property boundaries to do so. On these occasions, we ask people to avoid smoking in the vicinity of our main entry points.

The Smokefree Clinic provides outpatient specialist smoking cessation support for existing Alfred Health patients who smoke with complex co-morbidities. Any health professional within Alfred Health may refer patients to this service.

Patients may also be referred to Quit Victoria who provides a range of telephone and web based support services for people who are considering or attempting to quit smoking. Primary care providers including general practitioners and pharmacists are well placed to support people to quit smoking assisted by stop smoking medicines where indicated.

There is no requirement for individuals to quit smoking. We respect that people may exercise a personal choice to smoke.

The vast majority of people who smoke intend to quit at some stage. Alfred Health is keen to support patients, volunteers and employees in their attempts to reduce or cease their smoking.

Our volunteers and employees who would like to quit smoking are encouraged to access the supports that best meet their individual needs.

Quit Victoria provides a range of telephone and web based support services for people who are considering or attempting to quit smoking.

Primary care providers including general practitioners and pharmacists are well placed to support people to quit smoking assisted by stop smoking medicines where indicated. In some areas, specialist smoking cessation clinics are available to assist people to quit smoking.

Periodically, we implement additional, active strategies such as the 'Good News for Smokers' campaign, to support smoking cessation among volunteers and employees.

For information and advice regarding smoking cessation supports, contact quitsmoking@alfred.org.au

Signage and other communication strategies aim to ensure all people are aware of Totally Smokefree at Alfred Health.

Anyone seen smoking within the property boundaries may be approached by a security officer or other staff member and reminded that Alfred Health is Totally Smokefree and the supports that are available to assist.

Signage and other communication strategies aim to ensure all people are aware of Totally Smokefree at Alfred Health.

Employees are accountable for compliance with Alfred Health’s Totally Smokefree policy; occasions of non compliance by employees may be considered grounds for disciplinary action.

Along with continually improving the way we support patients and staff who smoke, we are considering how we can best support people who smoke around the property perimeters. We are also always looking for innovative ways to communicate Totally Smokefree at Alfred Health.