After much planning and preparation, the Mental Health unit at Grey Base Hospital is becoming smokefree on 1 July 2009.
In 2004, the West Coast District Health Board declared all other facilities, grounds and car parks to be smokefree. The mental health area needed more input and support to make this change, so the smokefree coordinator has worked with management, staff and community mental health non government organizations to bring about this change.
Hecta Williams, General Manager Mental Health said, "This is a great step forward in focusing on the total health of patients and staff in Manaakitanga. The District Health Board appreciates all the work put in to enable the mental health unit to become smokefree."
Smoking addiction has a big impact on people's health. Current health statistics show the devastating impact of the high smoking rates of mental health clients, such as a significantly higher incidence of cancer, respiratory and cardiac illness. Smoking also reduces the effects of many of the medications that are used to treat mental illness resulting in clients who smoke needing to be on higher doses. This can lead to an increase in the likelihood of side effects from the medication.
The West Coast District Health Board is committed to improving the health of mental health services users, including improving their physical health status, and quitting smoking is the best thing that any individual can do to improve their physical health.
Clients will know what to expect on admission and staff in both the community and inpatient unit are prepared to provide suitable options to deal with Nicotine withdrawals. The unit has a wide selection of Nicotine Replacement Therapies (NRT) that new clients can access on admission. Some clients may choose to use this time to quit with the support of the staff, but that is a personal choice.
A big part of the preparation has been to have NRT available, educate the staff and have input from service user groups such as Activity Centres, Pact and the Mental Health Advocate. The District Health Board will be organizing and advertising meetings across the West Coast to give information about the changes for service users and their families.
Auckland, Waikato and Lower Hutt mental health inpatient units are now smokefree, and other South Island units are joining the West Coast District Health Board and currently becoming smokefree.
For more information please contact
Bryan Jamieson
Community Liaison Officer
West Coast DHB
PO Box 387
Greymouth 7840
Phone (DDI): (03) 769-7665
Mobile: 027 245-9595
Email: