Parks

Smoke-free parks are outdoor spaces where we ask people to not smoke or vape in the playground area.

Evidence tells us that children are less likely to start smoking if they don't view smoking and vaping behaviours as a normal part of everyday life.

The aim of a smoke-free park is to:

• reduce the number of children and young people who start smoking
• reduce children and young people's exposure to smoking and second-hand smoke
• decrease cigarette and vape litter and make play parks nice places to be
• provide an environment that supports quit attempts for people who have chosen to stop smoking or vaping

Town centre zones (Pals Square)

The Town Hall Square is an area that's used often by families, whether it's visiting the museum or enjoying the fountains. Many visitors bring their children and young people who are already learning about the world around them. The Pals Square area outside the Town Hall was the first outdoor smoke-free area in Barnsley. As Barnsley town centre grows due to the amazing re-development work, our aim is to replicate our smoke-free area of Pals Square. This is so people can enjoy their experience without being exposed to smoking and vaping behaviours.

Markets and The Glass Work area

Following the recent redevelopment of Barnsley's market and The Glass Works area, we aim to support the market traders and independent retailers who make this shopping destination unique. Our focus also extends to those who shop, dine, and relax in this area. We're going to apply a smoke-free approach consistently across the whole of The Glass Works, not just within the markets. As well as the health benefits, we also hope to see a reduction in cigarette and vaping litter in this area, which looks unpleasant and is costly to clean up.

Primary schools

In May 2018, Barnsley launched its first fully voluntary smoke-free primary schools across all sites in the borough. Given the success, we'd like to make sure this programme is rolled out to all secondary schools too.

The aim of smoke-free schools is to ask people that use these areas in passing or picking up their children to not smoke or vape around the immediate area of the school. Although this isn't legislation, our hope is that this can be managed through a voluntary code and pledge. Its aim is to protect our next generations from the harmful effects of smoking. The school isn't required to 'police' the area; it's more a polite request to the public.

Find posters to help share our council message.

Colleges

We're working with college campus sites to provide a supportive environment to introduce voluntary smoke and vape free areas. This includes sharing vaping and smoking support materials and introducing Making Smoking Invisible signage.

College campus incentive scheme (Old Mill Lane)

This pilot, which ran until Spring 2023, built on the support and advice already offered from the college's friendly Health and Wellbeing team, is continuing for another year to support with quitting vaping. To find out more about the incentive scheme and support from the Health and Wellbeing team, please visit college campus' website.

High streets

In 2020, the first smoke-free high street in Barnsley was launched in Hoyland as part of our make smoking invisible campaign. Barnsley FC's official club artist Ben Mosley was commissioned to create a painting and mural in the centre.

Taking influence from the artwork, a package of resources has been created which is hoped will support the town, help to boost business and the local economy, attract visitors and increase footfall in the centre.

Our plans are to look at other areas, and, after public and business consultation, we'll consider making other high streets voluntary smoke-free areas.

Hospitals

The aim of this approach is to make smoking invisible around any of the hospitals in Barnsley. Along with the benefits already mentioned, smoke-free hospitals will support the health and wellbeing of those who have reason to attend Barnsley Hospital, including patients, visitors or employees.

The aims of smoke-free hospitals include:

• allowing staff to work in a smoke-free environment and not be subjected to secondary smoke
• making sure employees don't smoke during working hours
• restricting in-patients, outpatients and visitors smoking outside Barnsley Hospital buildings
• supporting, with free resources, where reasonably practicable, any employee, visitor or patient who wishes to stop smoking via NHS smoking cessation support

For free support to quit smoking, visit the NHS Stop Smoking Service - Yorkshire Smokefree.

Hospital QUIT service

The stop smoking advisors provide support on the wards during a patient's stay. Patients or staff can request a visit from the advisor who will visit the ward and provide information as appropriate.

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) will be prescribed to assist with temporary abstinence as the hospital is a smoke-free site.

On discharge from the hospital, the service will contact the patient by phone and make arrangements for further support in the community, if needed.

To find out more, visit Hospital Stop Smoking Service - Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

Smoking in pregnancy incentive scheme

This pilot, built on the support and advice already offered by Barnsley Hospital's maternity stop smoking service, ran until Spring 2023. It continued after huge success up until October 2024 when the new government financial scheme was introduced to take over. To find out more about the incentive scheme and support from the maternity team, please visit the NHS Maternity Stop Smoking Service.

Support for staff

Barnsley Hospital is a smoke-free employer operating a smoke-free site. We encourage and support colleagues to not smoke.

Hospital staff wishing to access support to stop smoking are offered:

• appointments 8am to 5pm, face to face or over the phone
• protected time away from duties for support
• free 12 weeks Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) from the hospital's outpatient pharmacy

Council buildings

We're a smoke-free organisation, which aligns with our public health values of creating a smoke-free generation.

We encourage staff and visitors to not smoke or vape within or around the premises of council sites.

Support and assistance for smokers/vapers:

• We're committed to providing a range of support, advice and assistance for employees and members to comply with the policy, and where requested, cut down or stop smoking/vaping.
• We actively promote stopping smoking/vaping and will, through public health, distribute health education messages about giving up smoking and the health risks associated with smoking.
• We provide extra support for smokers and vapers based on the removal of the provision of smoking breaks. We allow employees up to 4.5 hours of special leave over a maximum 12 week period to attend smoking/vaping cessation support when the employee agrees to sign up to a stop smoking/vaping programme.