Cambridgeshire hospital under fire after making bike shelter a smoking haven

Author: Chris Taylor - 26 November 2012

A Cambridgeshire hospital has received sharp criticism for turning one of its cycle shelters into a smoking shelter.

Thesun.co.uk reports that Addenbrooke's NHS Hospital in Cambridge, one of the top hospitals in the county, has begun removing an area of cycle racks to make way for the new smoking den.

Robin Heydon, of Cambridge Cycling Campaign, lambasted NHS officials at the hospital, claiming that Addenbrooke's is already in short supply of cycle storage at the hospital.

According to dailymail.co.uk, he said the action "seems completely and entirely against what the NHS should be about".

However, a Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) spokesman has confirmed that the action is merely temporary. He explained that the Trust has made a commitment to provide an additional 500 cycle spaces over the next two years.

"We are committed to encouraging staff, patients and visitors to live a healthy lifestyle," said the spokesman. "We are working towards a smoke-free campus. Smoking shelters are in place because they help to minimise the health and safety risks."

The hospital confirmed that staff will only be able to use the transformed shelter during breaks and mustn't wear uniform whilst doing so. It also said that it offers a range of stop smoking services that may be of use to people hooked on the habit.