Marking No Smoking Day

To mark National No Smoking Day on 11 March, we are encouraging and supporting smokers to quit, helping to protect our patients, their families, and our colleagues.

The new signage on our Tickhill Road site in Doncaster has been developed in collaboration with Doncaster Council, the South Yorkshire Tobacco Control Alliance, and other partners across the region. The new signs inform smokers where they can access local stop-smoking services and find out more about the benefits of quitting and include a website for more support.

Our North Lincolnshire patients are being offered a stop smoking service on discharge from our wards and in Rotherham our patients and staff are being reminded of the support available to help them to quit via the Smoke Free starts website.

Tobacco remains the leading cause of preventable death in our region. People with mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression and schizophrenia, are up to 4 times more likely to smoke, and a third of all cigarettes smoked in the UK are smoked by people with a mental health condition.

Adam Fretwell, Health Improvement Manager, said:

“Our smokefree policy has created a safe and clean environment for all our patients and staff. This new signage not only helps maintain this but provides links for smokers to receive support in reducing the harm caused by tobacco.

“Introducing the new signage reaffirms our commitment to a smokefree future for all. It also aligns with our 28 strategic promises to the public, including nurturing partnerships to support good health, reducing poverty and health inequalities. As well as improving outcomes for people with serious mental illness and those with learning disabilities. Patient feedback has been central to this work, highlighting the need for clearer, more visible signage across buildings and grounds.”

Sarah Hepworth, Associate Director of the South Yorkshire Tobacco Control Alliance, said:

“Smokefree policies are an important step in helping to reduce smoking. I commend RDaSH for this work. Too many people in South Yorkshire still die early. Smoking is not a choice but an addiction that starts in childhood and kills at least one in two long‑term users. This is unacceptable. A smokefree future will save lives, reduce health inequalities, and help our region to thrive.”

Published: March 11, 2026