Colchester's NHS hospitals will become smoke-free in the new year.

Staff, patients and visitors to Colchester General and Essex County Hospitals won't be allowed to smoke, except in designated areas, from January.

The move is a bid to reduce the unnecessary risk to people's health and wellbeing.

At the moment people can smoke in designated rooms within the hospitals as well as outside the entrances.

From next month the internal smoking rooms will be closed and designated smoking points set-up outside the buildings, away from entrances.

Dr Marion Wood, medical director at Essex Rivers Healthcare NHS Trust, hopes with the right infrastructure in place, those who want to quit will have the Trust's full support and guidance.

More in today's Evening Gazette

Published Monday, December 13, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Gazette