Staff and the public will be banned from smoking at all health service premises from April 1.

The policy comes into force on the first day that Manx Care - the arm’s-length body that is to run the health service -

takes over operations.

Health bosses say the move ’aims to foster healthy and safe environments for all and prevent avoidable smoking-related ill-health by encouraging people to quit smoking’.

In the first stage of the rollout, smoking will no longer be permitted on any hospital site, at healthcare facilities on Westmoreland Road in Douglas and the DHSC’s Crookall House headquarters.

GP practices are also joining the smoke-free movement and will not allow smoking on their grounds from April 1.

The Department of Health and Social Care and Manx Care say they are committed to ensuring all who work in, visit or receive treatment or care at their facilities, are aware of the change from April 1 - the date Manx Care ’goes live’ as the island’s health and care delivery body.

Promotional leaflets, posters and social media publicity focus on the health benefits to individuals and the wider community of going smoke free, and the role both organisations play.

Promotion of the smoke-free policy among staff groups and organisations that work with the health service has been under way in recent months, with updates on implementation plans shared in newsletters, information sessions and informal drop-ins.

Alongside this, staff and patients who would like to give up smoking have been invited to take up smoking cessation programmes and encouraged by the free, specialist Stop Smoking service Quit4You

Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford said: ’The vast majority of those who visit or work in our facilities will welcome the move to prevent smoking on our premises.

’There are obvious benefits both for individuals and the health service, and this gives us the opportunity to promote the message that it is never too late to give up. With less than two months to go until the policy is implemented, smokers have a clear incentive to make use of our stop smoking service.

He added: ’We have no desire to stigmatise smokers. The policy has been designed to create smoke-free spaces and encourage a future smoke-free generation. We want our children to grow up in a world where it is not normal to start smoking and so DHSC and Manx Care are proud to be smoke free.’

In the next stage of the rollout from October 1 all other premises operated by DHSC and Manx Care will become smoke free if they aren’t already, with the exception of residential facilities, including Reayrt-ny-Baie, Southlands and Cummal Mooar.

April 1 2022 will see the remaining residential premises become completely smoke-free, including nursing and care homes and supported living premises.

When the policy is implemented, smoking will not be permitted anywhere on DHSC and Manx Care grounds. Vaping will be permitted but will be restricted to designated areas.