Letter threat over hospital smoking row
POLICE have been called in after a man was sent a threatening letter for complaining about Neath Port Talbot Hospital staff smoking in his street.
The man, who was warned he would "face the music" if he continued to complain, lives close to where the smokers congregate and is said to be too afraid to go into his garden because of abuse from them.
The man has now reported the letter to the police — while hospital manager Karl Murray has also informed them of the allegations.
Smoking is banned in the hospital grounds so staff are going further afield to spark up, which has proved a bone of contention for residents of neighbouring St Joseph's Park in Aberavon.
One of them, who did not want to be named, said: "The mess these people leave is awful: cigarette ends, food wrappers, paper cups and cans of pop.
"Very often you will see up to 10-15 people there.
"The staff can be abusive when you walk past them and going up the ramp in a wheelchair or with a push chair means getting cigarette butts stuck in the wheels.
"One residents who complained came back from holiday to find a threatening letter had been put through his door.
"This poor man lives so close and the daily abuse and threats are so bad he is unable to go into his garden."
The letter reads: "Complain anymore and face the music wel [sic] smoke when we want a*****e."
Mr Murray told the Post: "We are disappointed to hear these allegations and will, of course, investigate them fully and take any appropriate action. We have also informed the police of the allegations.
"We have asked our staff not to smoke in that area and senior managers have been making regular checks. Littering on a hospital site or residential area is unacceptable and certainly gives the wrong impression of our hospital to patients and visitors."
He said contractors were employed to maintain the gardens and greenery, while the health board was in close contact with the council as it owned the land outside the hospital.
paul.lewis@swwmedia.co.uk
15 Comments
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by Lucy, Neath
Wednesday, February 10 2010, 11:14AM
“I think the hospital has handled this in such an appalling way. People shouldn't have to be intimidated by "professionals". I think people are already losing faith in the NHS and they are just making it worse by acting so immature about a very serious complaint! I hope the appropriate action will be taken for the gentleman and other residents in that area who are effected by people who should set an example being hospital staff.”
by Non Smoker, Aberavon
Monday, February 08 2010, 5:50AM
“I know that smokers pay taxes and are feeling hard done by with the banning of smoking in pubs and more and more public places, however it's not right that they should threaten this person who is simply complaining about the mess they have made. The hospital should provide on their premises a covered smoking area and bins for the rubbish.
What I object to as I see it day after day is the 15 to 20 minute breaks that these smokers take and have as many as 4 or five breaks to smoke on top of their lunch breaks each day! So what would happen if each time these smokers left their work location to have a smoke all of the non smoking staff left to also take a 15 or 20 minute break, to read a newspaper of have a cup of tea ! management would soon put a stop to it.
Smokers have on average an extra hour a day away from this work place to smoke,so not only is it bad for their health it's also bad for business or in the case of a hospital bad for the patients.”
by Teifion, LLandovery
Monday, February 08 2010, 5:30AM
“The NHS trust should stop being so PC and inflexible - allow staff to smoke somewhere far away from the building BUT within the grounds
SIMPLE common sense - which is why they won't - there will be some scorecard that makes the hospital look healthy and PC - sod the poor neighbours so long as things look good eh?”
by P, Swansea
Sunday, February 07 2010, 10:18PM
“Louise - NPT, why should the council monitored NHS staff, this will cost them time meaning more tax payers money wasted over grown ups who should know better. Better still get someone managerial from the hospital to supervise their own staff at break times, like kids in play grounds after all it is their own staff causing all this mess and polluting the air. They need to go on a course on how to be civilised.”
by Louise, Port Talbot
Sunday, February 07 2010, 9:18PM
“I have to agree the entrance to the hospital from the Aberavon area is appalling!! And there is 100's of fag buts on the floor and other 'break time' rubbish! How could they leave such mess? The council should patrol this area, will hand-out a handful of fixed penalties to those littering!!”
by louise, neath
Sunday, February 07 2010, 9:17PM
“I have to agree the entrance to the hospital from the Aberavon area is appalling!! And there is 100's of fag buts on the floor and other 'break time' rubbish! How could they leave such mess? The council should patrol this area, will hand-out a handful of fixed penalties to those littering!!”
by Anon, Swansea
Sunday, February 07 2010, 1:35PM
“I think most of you are missing the point of the story here. It is not about NHS staff verses the public smoking or pregnant women smoking outside, but the fact a resident has been intimidated for daring to complain about a crowd of NHS staff smoking and littering in his street. This is just plain awful and vindictive. The hospital should provide somewhere which is ON the hospital ground for smokers, even ifs a very large bus shelter hidden behind the building i.e away from public view - since it is the hospital staff smoking in question here. I wouldn't want to go through a crowd of smokers to get to my home myself. I hope they find out who is responsible for sending this letter, because one person is causing trouble for his own colleagues and its worrying to think these nhs staff are looking after the health service and have access to our medical records. I mean how do they know who made the complaint??”
by Peter, Swansea
Sunday, February 07 2010, 11:34AM
“You all want the staff to be sacked who smoke you all stupid lot they are not enough staff now but if you are taken ill you dont care if they smoke or not.”
by pedro the porter, singleton
Sunday, February 07 2010, 11:10AM
“joe soap
wash your mouth out with your bar of soap,you little fibber i saw youy having a sly drag too!!”
by joe soap, swansea
Sunday, February 07 2010, 10:06AM
“Please do not pinpoint this on nurses, In Singleton it is mainly the domestic & portering staff. I visited the maternity unit recently & had to walk through a congregation of domestic staff - you could see their uniforms under their coats. This was quite intimidating as they were gathered around the steps off the main road. There were also pregnant women smoking outside. Can the managers not see these people?”