POLICY/PROCEDURES

ORIGINAL DATE:
TITLE: NO SMOKING July 2004
IDENTIFICATION LAST REVISION DATE:
NUMBER: SA 1052 August 2012
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
August 2015
HOSPITAL(S) ALL HMC HOSPITALS / ENTITIES Sheet No. 1of 4

1.0 POLICY STATEMENT:

1.1 No –Smoking policy is a formulated guideline for all Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC)
staff to provide a safe environment to protect patients, visitors and staffs health from active
and passive smoking exposure, to conform to the local requirements of the Department of
Tobacco And Narcotic Act of the Ministry of Interior. It is also to amend and implement the
State Law No. 20 of the year 2002, first edition 2003 on the Control of Tobacco and its
Derivatives Article 10 / Smoking Prohibition in Health Care Centers.

2.0 DEFINITIONS:

2.1 Smoking – Smoking is the inhalation of the smoke of burning tobacco encased in
cigarettes, pipes, and cigars.

2.2 Active Smoking - Refers to the voluntary inhalation of mainstream tobacco smoke.

2.3 Passive Smoking - The involuntary inhalation of tobacco smoke by a person, especially a
nonsmoker, who occupies an area with smokers or a smoker.

3.0 PROCEDURES:

3.1 GENERAL ROLES:

3.1.1 There should be no smoking inside the HMC facilities, Offices and building (s)
owned /leased by the HMC at any time.

3.1.2 No–Smoking signs should be posted visibly/prominently displayed at all the main
entrances, waiting areas and receptions.

3.1.3 Sale of cigarettes and tobacco products is prohibited within any of HMC facilities.

3.1.4 Non-combustible ash receptacles shall be provided at hospital public main

entrances with adequate distance not less than twenty (20) feet or more in order to
maintain no smoke could pass inside the premises. The place should be well
shaded. Waste bins should not be used as ash receptacles.

Facility Management and Safety (FMS) Quality Management Department

Regulatory & Accreditation
POLICY/PROCEDURES

ORIGINAL DATE:
TITLE: NO SMOKING July 2004
IDENTIFICATION LAST REVISION DATE:
NUMBER: SA 1052 August 2012
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
August 2015
HOSPITAL(S) ALL HMC HOSPITALS / ENTITIES Sheet No. 2of 4

3.2 VISITORS:

3.2.1 Visitors should be reminded of the No-Smoking Policy of the HMC verbally and by
displaying adequate “No-Smoking” signs.
3.2.2 No visitors should be allowed to smoke inside any of HMC facilities. They can only
smoke in the designated smoking areas when available.

3.3 PATIENTS:

3.3.1 No Patients should be allowed to smoke during his/her stay in the HMC facilities.

3.4 MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE:

3.4.1 Mental Health patients who can smoke in Psychiatry Clinic should be with written
approval from the attending Physician.

3.4.2 A nurse or nursing aide should supervise the patients during smoking time.

3.4.3 Well ventilated or open place should be designated for smoking.

3.4.4 Only one cigarette for each smoker at smoking time.

3.4.5 A fixed schedule for smoking should be arranged by the department Head Nurse.

3.4.6 Patient should not be allowed to hold lighters/matches or packet of Cigarettes.

3.4.7 Only safety matches should be permitted to be used by the staff.

3.5 RESIDENTS IN RUMAILAH HOSPITAL RESIDENTIAL SERVICES FACILITIES:

3.5.1 Due to the fact that the facility is their home, they are permitted to smoke if they
wish. Education and advice on the dangers of smoking and how to give up
smoking should be made available to them and they should adhere to the
following:

3.5.1.1 Smoking is not permitted in any of the buildings, only in designated

areas outside

Facility Management and Safety (FMS) Quality Management Department

Regulatory & Accreditation
POLICY/PROCEDURES

ORIGINAL DATE:
TITLE: NO SMOKING July 2004
IDENTIFICATION LAST REVISION DATE:
NUMBER: SA 1052 August 2012
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
August 2015
HOSPITAL(S) ALL HMC HOSPITALS / ENTITIES Sheet No. 3of 4

3.5.1.2 Residents and their visitors should ensure that their cigarette ends
and used matches are discarded safely in appropriate receptacles.

3.5.1.3 Residents requiring assistance to smoke will be accommodated when

the staffs are able to do so and non-smoking staff will not be
requested to assist unless they agree.

3.5.1.4 Residents may keep their cigarettes and matches in their rooms
unless it is assessed as not safe by the Head Nurse. In this case, the
staff will keep them in a locked storage area

3.6 VIOLATIONS:

3.6.1 Any violations of this policy should be handled through the standard disciplinary
procedure in compliance with local tobacco and narcotic legislations.

3.6.2 Monitoring the compliance of No-Smoking policy should be the responsibility of

Security Department.

3.6.3 All HMC Staff should report any smoking incident to the head of the department as
well as security department and fire safety officers. OVA to be initiated by the
person who discovered/reported the incident.

3.7 GENERAL PUBLIC/VISITORS/STAFF/PATIENT:

3.7.1 The violator/s will be advised politely about HMC’s No-Smoking Policy and should
be informed that Smoking is prohibited at any of HMC facilities, and to ask the
violator to refrain from smoking. If the repetition is noticed from the same person,
he/she should be expelled out from the premises.

3.7.2 Patient violators will be referred to physician/social workers/patient relation officer

for appropriate attention.

3.7.3 Staff violators should be notified and referred to their immediate supervisor for
disciplinary action.

Facility Management and Safety (FMS) Quality Management Department

Regulatory & Accreditation
POLICY/PROCEDURES

ORIGINAL DATE:
TITLE: NO SMOKING July 2004
IDENTIFICATION LAST REVISION DATE:
NUMBER: SA 1052 August 2012
NEXT REVIEW DATE:
August 2015
HOSPITAL(S) ALL HMC HOSPITALS / ENTITIES Sheet No. 4of 4

4.0 DOCUMENTATION:

4.1 Not Applicable.

5.0 REFERENCES:

5.1 Smoking (2010). Answers.com, Retrieved on November 7, 2010, from

http://www.answers.com/topic/smoking

6.0 ATTACHMENTS:

6.1 Not Applicable.

Facility Management and Safety (FMS) Quality Management Department

Regulatory & Accreditation