Prof Mike Kelly: NHS 'turns a blind eye' to smoking
Hospitals and clinics should become complete non-smoking areas both inside and out, the body responsible for health guidelines in England has recommended.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) said it wanted to see smoking shelters scrapped so patients, visitors and staff cannot smoke.
The Director of NICE, Professor Mike Kelly told the Today programme: "If the patients are under care, there are all sorts of choices we help them to make to improve their health.
"It does seem rather odd that we should have a culture in the NHS that tacitly turns a blind eye [to smoking]."
First broadcast on the Today programme on Wednesday 27 November.
27 Nov 2013
- From the section Health