Smoking may be banned at Wakari Hospital.
The Southern District Health Board is reviewing its policy in respect to smoking at the facility.
It has already restricted smoking on site, but allows patients and staff to smoke outside in certain courtyard areas.
This week the Otago Daily Times was contacted by a secure ward resident concerned he would no longer be able to smoke.
He said some people were unable to leave the hospital premises and, therefore, they would have no option but to quit smoking if a ban was imposed.
A health board spokesman told the ODT the issue of smoking was under review.
The board was waiting for the outcome of a court case involving the Waitemata District Health Board, he said.
The Waitemata board banned smoking in its acute mental health units, but the decision was being challenged by a nurse and two patients.
It was before the High Court at Auckland.
The Southern health board spokesman said the smoking review in respect of Wakari would take the outcome of the Waitemata case into account.
Until then, Wakari patients and staff would continue to be allowed to smoke in certain areas.
In 2010, board member Richard Thomson controversially fought for locked-in patients at Wakari to be allowed to smoke.
Those who were admitted to hospital for treatment and not permitted to leave the premises were in a different category from other patients, he said.
