Gateshead Tobacco Control Alliance

Summary Report of Local Alliance Work 05/06

Gateshead's Smoke Free Alliance consists of partners in the health service, voluntary and private sectors. The alliance is committed to reducing the harm and health inequalities due to smoking by reducing the numbers of people who smoke and protecting people from exposure to second hand smoke.

The alliance brings together existing work to reduce the impact of tobacco on the health of our residents and visitors.

The following examples show some of the progress Gateshead has already made in its ambition to become smoke-free by 2008.

Smoke-free workplaces and public places

Gateshead Smoke Free Alliance will work with local businesses and organisations to build on these successes and increase the number of smoke-free workplaces and public places.

The following workplaces and public places are already smoke-free:

  • Gateshead Council
  • Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust
  • Gateshead Primary Care Trust
  • Gateshead College
  • Metro Centre
  • Sage Music Centre
  • Interchange Centre in central Gateshead
  • The Lambton Arms public house, Eighton Banks

Gateshead Strategic Partnership

  • The Gateshead Strategic Partnership has given overwhelming support to develop smoke-free work in Gateshead. Details of this are included in our Community Strategy that you can download by clicking here.

National Clean Air Awards

  • The National Clean Air Award is made to employers who implement effective smoke-free workplace policies
  • To date, eight local organisations have the Award.

For more advice about going smoke-free and the National Clean Air Awards, contact Katherine Williams on 0191 433 2294 or email katherinewilliams@gateshead.gov.uk

Stop Smoking Service

  • The Gateshead and South Tyneside Stop Smoking Service has helped almost 25,000 smokers since 2000 - one of the best Stop Smoking Services in the country
  • Works through a team of smoking cessation advisors including full time Specialist Advisors and Intermediate Advisors- community nurses, health visitors, pharmacists and general practitioners

For more information, please ring Maria Williams, Manager of the Gateshead and South Tyneside Stop Smoking Service, on 0191 2831145 or visit the website at www.healthpromotion.demon.co.uk

Healthy Schools

Smoke-Free School Awards are awarded to schools with smoke-free policies

Two levels:

  • Standard Smoke Free School Awards for schools with complete smoke-free site policy
  • To date, 95 schools have achieved the Standard Award.
  • Gold Smoke-Free School Awards for schools who already have the Standard Award and could demonstrate outstanding practice in relation to smoking prevention, education and support for those seeking to quit smoking, including parents
  • To date 56 schools have received this Award.

For more information, please contact Clare Mawson, Senior Health Promotion specialist (Young People) on 0191 478 9061 or via email at claire.mawson@ghpct.nhs.uk

Health Promotion Campaigns

  • Gateshead Health Promotion and Stop Smoking services support National No Smoking Day (www.nosmokingday.org.uk) each year along with a wide variety of other health professionals, including Gateshead Council's Community Health Development Team

For more information, please contact Amanda Potts, Lead for Health Promotion Programmes, on 0191 478 9061 or via email at Amanda.potts@ghpct.nhs.uk

Enforcement

  • Gateshead Council's Trading Standards team enforces the laws on tobacco advertising, the sale of tobacco to minors and counterfeit tobacco

For more information, please contact Owen Cleugh, Senior Trading Standards Officer, on 0191 433 3934, or via email at owencleugh@gateshead.gov.uk

Contact

For further information on the Smoke Free Gateshead Alliance, please contact:

Mr Peter Wright
Environmental Health and Licensing Manager
Development and Enterprise
Civic Centre
Regent Street
Gateshead
NE8 1HH
Tel: 0191 433 3910

Email: peterwright@gateshead.gov.uk