CALLS have been made for Royal Bolton Hospital bosses to make a U-turn over rebuilding its smoking shelters.

Bolton Council bosses have said installing the shelters would send out the “wrong message” and are urging hospital chiefs to meet with them.

The hospital launched a public consultation and asked people to vote for whether or not they wanted the shelters reinstated.

It was a close vote, with just 49 more people voting in favour of rebuilding the smoking shelters than against.

But now, Bolton Council is calling on Bolton NHS Foundation Trust to reverse the decision.

Cllr Sufrana Bashir-Ismail, cabinet member for public health said: “There is no evidence that smoking shelters keep entrances to hospitals free from smokers and the previous shelters were removed because they weren’t being used.

“As a council with responsibilities for promoting healthier lifestyles we’re concerned that this sends out the wrong message. We will be meeting the hospital management to discuss these concerns.”

The shelters will cost £1,200 and will be placed between the main entrance to the hospital and A&E, another close to the Princess Anne Maternity Unit entrance and another for staff at the back of the main hospital building.

Hospital chiefs said the issue would be discussed further at the next trust board meeting.

Heather Edwards, head of communications at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This is a really difficult issue as while we don’t condone smoking, it is not possible to stop people smoking.

“We get many complaints from people who walk through smoke at the hospital entrances and feel that we should do something to protect their health by managing smokers and moving them to shelters. On the other hand it is claimed that hospitals should promote healthy lifestyles by not permitting smoking on their sites.”

Deaths from smoking-related illnesses in Bolton is higher than the national average at about 500 a year.

About 20.5 per cent of the town’s adult population smoke with that figure even higher in some parts of the borough.

Up to 30 per cent of people smoke in deprived areas, such as Tonge Moor, Hall i’th’Wood, Burnden, north Breightmet, Withins, and Tonge Fold, compared to just eight per cent in the more affluent South Turton and the NHS locally spends £5 million every year on prescribed respiratory items.

People with respiratory conditions accounted for 24,500 bed days in 2008/9.

Council bosses are calling on the hospital to do more to help people quit, rather than building smoking shelters.

Cllr Bashir-Ismail said: “As the hospital will come into contact with many smokers, they have a unique opportunity to intervene and offer advice and support on stopping smoking. Most hospital wards, whatever the speciality, are treating people who smoke. They are either treating a smoking-related disease or will be trying to manage a condition that is made worse by smoking.”

Cllr Linda Thomas, deputy leader of Bolton Council and chairman of the Health and Wellbeing board added: “As the responsibility for the health outcomes of the Bolton population has now passed to the council and its partners to deliver, it is important that we all send a consistent message. The reinstatement of smoking shelters sends the wrong one.

“We want to support people stopping smoking as we know the lethal effects of tobacco and the damage it imposes on people's health and wellbeing.”

Cllr Andy Morgan, who also sits on the Health and Wellbeing board, said the money could be better used to reduce the staff who are currently at risk of being made redundant.

He added: “The primary remit of the NHS is to make people better and prevent ill health or any further deterioration in someone’s health.

“I really do not understand how the board believe allowing smoking in the hospital grounds will be of benefit to the individuals concerned or the health and wellbeing of other patients and staff that have to suffer the effects of passive smoking. What sort of message does that send out to patients, visitors and staff?”

The rebuilding of the shelters has also been criticised by the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) charity.

ASH chief executive, Deborah Arnott, said: “For the Royal Bolton Hospital to build smoking shelters runs counter to NHS policy and NICE recommendations and is a backwards step.

“Smoking remains the major cause of preventable premature death and disease and it is not appropriate for hospitals to support smoking amongst patients, visitors and staff by providing shelters. Money spent on smoking shelters would be much better spent helping smokers to quit and implementing a proper stop smoking policy.”

In The Bolton News online poll, 1,522 people voted for the reintroduction of smoking shelters and 1,327 voted against.

The Bolton News also received 89 coupons with 39 saying Yes and 50 saying No. The Royal Bolton Hospital online poll received 62 votes in favour and 200 against the shelters, plus six coupons For and three Against.