The South Eastern HSC Trust has agreed to review the decision to implement the Smoke Free Policy in its Mental Health Inpatient Wards and their designated garden areas.
The Trust will reconsider the application of the Smoke Free Policy for detained mental health patients on those wards and will consider whether there should be specific action plans drawn up for these Mental Health Environments which would indicate how the Smoke Free Policy should be administered.
A spokesperson added: “The Trust has agreed to retake the decision upon whether an exemption from the policy is required for the Inpatient Mental Health Wards and their designated garden areas within the South Eastern Trust.
“The review process will take a minimum of six months and during this time the Smoke Free policy will continue to be implemented in other areas but will not apply to the mental health inpatient environments.
“Mental Health inpatients will be allowed to smoke in designated outdoor areas, as prior to the implementation of the Smoke Free Policy on the 6th of March 2016.
“The Trust will continue to act in compliance with the Smoking (NI) Order 2006, although advice and NRT treatments will still be available to those patients who wish to cease smoking during this period.”
