Patients and staff are to be banned from smoking in two West Sussex hospitals.

The announcement by Worthing Hospital and Southlands in Shoreham today sparked outrage among pro-smoking campaigners, who rejected the move as an example of "knee-jerk political correctness".

The hospitals' trustees meet on Thursday to discuss policing a ban, which would mean patients, visitors, contractors and medical staff would be forbidden even from stepping outside to smoke in the grounds.

Managers plan to clamp down on staff smokers by analysing the correlation between those who smoke, their absence record and the number of breaks they take.

Director of nursing Denise Chaffer said: "Hospitals need to set a good example.

"It is recognised smoking remains the largest preventable cause of death and disability in the UK, so we have a duty to our patients and staff to do everything possible to reduce the risk."

Smokers who want to quit will be offered the help of a "smoking cessation adviser."

A smoking room at Worthing Hospital has been closed and temporary booths near the main and north wing entrances will be removed in January, when the ban is due to come into force.

Signs will tell patients and visitors of the restrictions and hospital chiefs say new security measures will be introduced to enforce the ban.

The trust is also to calculate the cost of offering nicotine patches to smokers.

But smokers' lobby group Forest rejected the move. Director Simon Clark said: "This is obviously a backward step as I think it will be very difficult to enforce.

"Essentially, they are treating patients and staff like children.

"When other hospitals have banned smoking, patients have ended up smoking outside in their pyjamas. It's very counter productive.

"Although some people may understand why a hospital may want to ban smoking, the reality is that a lot of people do smoke, and hospitals can be a stressful place for staff and patients alike.

"More progressive hospitals understand that and make provision for smokers."

Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, reversed a no-smoking ban after just six months after finding it couldn't enforce the rules.

Mr Clarke said: "Once you ban smoking you lose control of the situation. There will be some hardened smokers who will always find somewhere to light up.

"Rather than being in a designated area, they will find some corner somewhere or go around to the back of the hospital where the rubbish is, then suddenly you've got a fire risk.

"They are simply doing it out of knee-jerk political correctness."

But West Sussex smoking cessation services co-ordinator Sian Howells said: "Becoming a no-smoking zone is a challenge but it can be achieved if we all work together.

"Increasingly, there are lots of public places, such as cinemas, shops, churches and some restaurants where people do not smoke.

"By becoming smoke-free, Worthing Hospital is sending a clear message about the health benefits of not smoking."