Australia - smoking bans must be enforced, especially at hospitals..

July 16, 2009 - Australia - South Eastern Sydney and Illawarra Area Health Service (SESIAHS) was formed in 2005 from the amalgamation of the Illawarra Area Health Service and South Eastern Sydney Area Health Service. It is a statutory body (written law set down by a legislature) of the New South Wales (NSW) Government, operating under the New South Wales Department of Health, charged with the provision of public health services in eastern and southern Sydney. One of the major facilities is the Southern Hospital Network where Wollongong Hospital is one of its facilities.

In March 2008 as part of NSW Health's Smoke Free Workplace Policy, a smoking ban went into effect for all South Eastern Sydney Illawarra Health premises including hospitals, community health centers and car parks. Patients and visitors to Wollongong Hospital were left with no doubt about the directive as six signs of varying descriptions were placed at the Crown St entrance, a traditional hangout for smokers.

The problem there is no enforcement of the smoking ban to protect patients and visitors to the region's health facilities. Defiant smokers vs young cancer patient by Angela Thompson, IllawarraMercury.com.au, 7/15/2009. Young Cancer Patient..

The NSW health minister is standing by a plan to rid cigarettes from hospital grounds by monitoring the number of smokers who disobey no smoking signs. The Opposition branded the study a "total cop-out", and called for NSW Health's smoke-free policy to be enforced by fines, a spokesman for John Della Bosca's (represents the Australian Labor Party in NSW) office told the Mercury the problem was in hand.

Reference: Govt criticised for sticking to smoking strategy by Angela Thompson, IllawarraMercury.com.au, 7/16/2009.

Click on image to enlarge; Butts piled up beneath a no-smoking sign at Wollongong Hospital.