Local MS meets health board over “significant” smoking issues at Wrexham Maelor

A local Member of the Senedd has met with health board officials following complaints over the “significant” smoking problem at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday (October 1) Lesley Griffiths MS said she had been contacted by residents about issues with smoking in the hospital grounds and the “huge piles” of cigarette stubs left discarded at the main entrance.

Smoking at hospitals has been illegal since March 2021, following the introduction of new laws by the Welsh Government.

Anyone found smoking at any hospital in Wales risks a fixed penalty notice of £100.

The use of vapes or e-cigarettes on Betsi Cadwaladr sites is also prohibited.

In July 2024 the health board announced that it had appointed a new Smoke–Free Environment Officer in a move to reduce smoking on hospital grounds.

Speaking in the Senedd on Tuesday (October 1) Ms Griffiths said there appeared to be confusion over who was in charge of enforcing the no-smoking policy on the hospital grounds.

Ms Griffiths said: “There is a significant problem with smoking in the grounds of the Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

“For instance, if you go towards the main entrance, you’re often met with huge piles of cigarette stubs.

“Following representations from several constituents, I met with the health board, who, while employing a smoke-free environmental officer, told me the legal responsibility for enforcement sits with the local authority, so they’re unable to take enforcement action.

“On the other side, Wrexham County Borough Council tell me that it’s the health board who have responsibility under the legislation to prevent smoking within its grounds.

“So, could the First Minister please clarify who is responsible for the enforcement of this much needed public health legislation?”

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “When the legislation was introduced, we published detailed guidance, we provided training, we ran awareness campaigns that included tv and radio ads to ensure that people knew about the new rules.

“We know, also, that lots of hospitals have taken that innovative, local measure to communicate the requirements to hospital users.

“So, some of them are doing it in an innovative way, for example, using audio speakers to play a recorded message at the entrance to the hospital.

“As I say, some of them have enforcement patrols, and so it is a question, of course, for the health boards to make sure that they are enforcing the action outside of their hospitals, but I think persuasion is always better than landing people with a fine if you can do that.

“We are talking, generally, outside hospitals of people who are in a vulnerable position, so I think, whilst on the one hand, we need to be supportive of them, they also need to understand that there are rules that they need to comply with.”