More on smoking at work
Friday, April 22, 2016 at 8:53 I discussed smoking at work with Peter Allen on Five Live yesterday.
Allen is one of my favourite broadcasters. He masks his own views exceedingly well and is always very fair to interviewees.
His double act with Jane Garvey (which came to an end when she moved to Woman's Hour a few years ago) was one of the best broadcasting partnerships ever.
Also on the programme was Joyce Bosnjak, chair of Nottinghamshire County Council's Public Health Committee.
I haven't listened to it but I'm fairly sure Allen told listeners that although he and his wife don't smoke they allow guests to smoke in their conservatory.
It wouldn't surprise me because Allen always sounds a very reasonable fellow, relaxed and unperturbed by most things. He would certainly be on my guest list for dinner, if I had one.
I subsequently did interviews for BBC 3 Counties Radio and BBC Radio Merseyside. You can listen to the latter interview here.
Today's smoking-related story concerns a report that suggests that "overweight patients and smokers in England and Wales are being denied surgery to save money."
A report by the Royal College of Surgeons found a third of local NHS health bosses in England put restrictions on access to surgery …
The college says mandatory policies are "a cause for concern" and it fears patients with a high body mass index (BMI) or who smoke are becoming "soft targets" for NHS savings.
I was booked to discuss this on Sky News at 8.15 this morning but I got a text last night to say that Prince had died and the item had been dropped.
I haven't got time to write about this now (I'm in London all day) but I might come back it.
PS. I'm discussing smoking at work (again) with Julia Hartley-Brewer on TalkRadio at 11.05.
Julia is no fan of smoking so tune in!
PS. On the back of the Nottingham report my colleague in Ireland, John Mallon, did an interview for Spin 103. He later told me:
Nobody from Nottingham was available to debate so I was on my own. It went fine but I sensed that the presenters trying to stir things using the term 'smoke break' so I dismissed that by saying there was no such thing as a smoke break.
By law a worker is entitled to a lunch break and a morning and afternoon break and if they choose to have a smoke at those times that's their own business.
That's a very good point which I used later in my own interviews.
Reader Comments (4)
Hartley Brewer is a smokerphobic bully so I won't be listening and you won't be treated well.
As for denial of healthcare to smokers. I demand my tax back paid over these 49 years in which I haven't had a penny back in alleged "smoking related" treatment. I also want all my working years of NI back. Then the NHS can go screw itself and I'll take care of my own health needs privately and without prejudice.
If your job is predominantly computer / VDU based the HSE recommend a 5 minute break every hour or 10 minutes every 2 hours.
Me too Pat.
Heard on the Beeb today that the RCS said that blocking surgery for the overweight or smokers disregarded the fundamental principle of the NHS.