An NHS Trust is supporting smoke-free campaign and announced plans to stop anyone smoking on hospital grounds by next year.

As part of Stoptober campaign, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Trust (BHRUT) is offering patients, staff and visitors advice to kick the habit, and sign them up to the 28-day challenge.

A trailer offering these services is stationed in the car park of Queen’s Hospital in Romford until the end of the month.

Stoptober provides smokers with a range of free tools including a new stop smoking pack, a 28-day mobile phone app, text support with daily updates, advice and tips for coping.

The smoking shelter outside of the entrance to Queen’s Hospital was been removed last month as part of plans for the trust to be smoke-free by March 15 next year.

Staff at the trust, currently in special measures, are handing yellow cards to people smoking on-site at both its hospitals, Queen's and King George in Goodmayes.

Lead consultant for smoking cessation Dr Rob Fowler, who is spearheading the Stoptober campaign, said: “As a health service dedicated to fighting illness, we cannot condone an activity which is known to cause disease and early death.

“Our vision is to create an environment where smokers feel supported and encouraged to stop smoking, and taking part in Stoptober is one of our steps towards this.”

Matthew Cole, Barking and Dagenham’s director of Public Health, said: “We have excellent local services helping smokers to give up for good, but this national campaign can really help to give our borough’s smokers a boost in their bid to quit.”

BHRUT is asking for the opinion of the public on its smoke-free policy.

Go to its website to complete the survey by October 26.