Smoking issue smouldering

At least some of the smokers among staff within Yorkton facilities of the Sunrise Health Region are unhappy with a property-wide ban on smoking.

The SHR decision has forced both staff, and in the case of the Yorkton Regional Hospital, patients off-property to smoke on adjacent sidewalks.

The move facilitated a quiet protest last Tuesday with signs along the boulevard in front of the Yorkton & District Nursing Home.

The line of signs was watched over by staff member, smoker and one of the initiators of the protest Rhonda Barmby. She said the employees want one simple thing, "allow us back our smoking area."

Barmby said in the case of Nursing Home staff they had an area out back of the facility, with seating purchased by staff, where they could smoke well away from the public view.

Now those staff have been forced to public sidewalks, and Barmby said that is far from ideal for the smoking staff, or the public passing by.

"We're not safe out here, especially at night," she began, adding it's unfortunate. "Yorkton's not a safe town," but that is the case.

As for the public, Barmby said people on the sidewalks, including school children on their way to school, and back, are now having to walk through the smokers, where in the past they were well away from the public, in particular youth.

Then there is the issue of resident safety.

"We used to be within shouting range to run back in and help," said Barmby, adding on the sidewalk "even our peepers are hit and miss out here That's kind of putting our residents at risk."

While Nursing Home residents retain a smoking area, at the hospital next door Barmby said the new regulations are putting patients in an untenable position. They too must now leave hospital grounds if they wish to smoke, and that has already included those attached to IV units.

Barmby said patients with IV ports "are not supposed to go off the property," and the issue of safety is a real one in such cases.

Ultimately, Barmby said the SHR needs to recognize "smoking is not illegal," and the estimated 20 per cent of staff who do smoke feel the property-wide smoking ban simply goes too far.

Christina Denysek, Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships told Yorkton This Week via email that SHR is aware of their employees' concerns.

"We address staff members' tobacco use concerns the same as any other concerns that are raised," she said. "We encourage them to voice their concerns, hear what they have to say, the region investigates and then provides an answer back. Sometimes the answer that the region has to provide is not what people are hoping for, that can be expected in any situation, but we do not let concerns go unheard or unaddressed."

Denysek said the new smoking policy has faced mixed reviews.

"Staff reaction from the time the Tobacco Reduction Strategy was announced, approximately two years before implementation, has been varied," she said. "Some staff have applauded and thanked the region for undertaking the initiative as there were concerns about their health related to second hand smoke exposure while on region facility grounds.

"We have also had those that don't like the policy; the reaction of staff has been varied and mixed."

Denysek added, "The health region is committed to healthy public policy for our staff and the residents who use the services provided in the region's facilities."