Two centers of the Catalan Network of Smoke-Free Hospitals have renewed their Gold-level accreditation from the GNTH

The Hospital Clínic de Barcelona and ALTHAIA, Xarxa Assistencial Universitària de Manresa, have both renewed this accreditation, which was granted in 2018.

The presentation of this award took place on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, during a hybrid event at the University of Vienna, as part of the Gold Forum Conference. This event served as a pre-conference event for the 29th International Conference of Health Promotion Hospitals and Healthcare Services (HPH) and was a great success, inspiring all participants.

The first part of the conference focused on electronic cigarettes, where Charlotta Pisinger, an expert researcher in tobacco control at the University of Denmark, provided a review of the existing evidence to date. This was followed by a discussion of advances in electronic cigarette regulation in Poland by Lucasz Balwicki, a professor of public health at the University of Gdansk. Finally, Valentina Bianchi-Galdi, a specialist in tobacco treatment, discussed how these devices affect the young population.

During the second part of the conference, the hospitals that received or renewed this year’s Gold-level accreditation were announced and presented with the award and accreditation diploma. In addition to the two Catalan hospitals, eight Taiwanese, one Korean, and one Austrian center also received or renewed this accreditation.

This is the highest international distinction awarded to health centers that have demonstrated significant advances in tobacco control policies and serve as an example for other organizations in the fight against smoking.

Both Catalan hospitals join the 67 hospitals around the world (8 of them in Catalonia) accredited at the international Gold level.

To achieve the ‘gold level,’ hospitals must demonstrate the implementation of tobacco control policies in accordance with the Global Network’s demanding standards. The projects are evaluated by an international jury team with extensive experience in this accreditation.

From the UCT, we provide advice and monitor the Smoke-Free Hospital project in the hospitals of the Catalan Network of Smoke-Free Hospitals, a project that we coordinate as a regular activity in the Unit.

Congratulations to the accredited centers on this recognition!

You can download the photos and presentations of the Gold Forum 2023 at this link.

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