by Rebecca Hughes

Hospital bosses plan to build three new smoking shelters, despite lighting up being banned on the site six years ago.

Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham says it can’t stop people smoking.

Smoking on the premises was banned in July 2006 – nine months before the law stopped smoking in public places.

Cllr Teresa Murray (Lab), a member of the council’s health committee, said she was "disappointed".

She said: "It is absolutely mad.

"By doing this the hospital is saying it has given up trying to stop people smoking.

"To have the sickest people in the community being given smoking shelters seems mad.

"The hospital should take a stronger line and have more security people enforcing the non-smoking policy.

"Smoking related diseases still cost the health service more than anything else."

But Medway NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, has defended its "reluctant" decision saying it was left with little choice and had to address the "numerous complaints" it receives about smokers around the site.

The spokesman added: "The Trust has made numerous attempts to dissuade people from smoking on the hospital site but with ongoing difficulty.

"The lack of co-operation from some smokers makes it unpleasant for non-smokers to enter and exit the hospital, as smokers tend to congregate near the main entrances, and the consequent litter is expensive to clean-up.

"One shelter will be in close proximity of the main hospital entrance, but far enough not to cause offence to non-smokers, and two other shelters will be near the Sunderland Day Case Centre. They will include an information board giving smokers information to help quit the habit."

Dr Julian Spinks, a GP in Strood, said: "We have reached a stage where we should be eliminating smoking on any health care premises - even outside.

"What the hospital should be doing is offering people who are admitted to hospital, and even visitors who are there for a long period of time, treatments to stop their cravings.

"My feeling is that the hospital needs to enforce the ban rather than put up smoking shelters."

Cancer survivor Melissa Tullett said: "If people want to smoke then they have to suffer the consequences, but it is annoying when you walk out of the hospital into a cloud of smoke just outside the entrance."

A public consultation on the plans will run until October 30. A decision will be made by Medway Council next month.