Help will be available for any patients or staff who are committed to giving up smoking, and they can be referred to Wirral SUPPORT, the confidential NHS Stop Smoking Service.
Dr Maxwell added: "We have a duty to protect our patients, staff and visitors from the health hazard that second hand smoking represents. The smoke-free concept is a health and safety issue and is based on the same principles as policies relating to toxic substances and dangerous machinery.
"Patients staying at the hospital who feel they are not able to, or do not want to stop smoking, will be offered advice, counselling and in some cases, free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).
"In-patients will be assessed for NRT and, if appropriate, it will be prescribed during their stay. We will also arrange follow-up support for people wanting to continue to give up smoking once they leave hospital."
Wirral Hospital NHS Trust's Smoke-Free policy is in line with a government-set target to make the entire NHS smoke-free by the end of 2006.
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