To protect, preserve and improve the health of patients, visitors and persons working in hospitals or in connection with health services, by helping to protect such persons from the risks and injurious consequences of tobacco smoking, including fire risks.

It provides an information exchange. What are ways of introducing a smoke-free hospital policy? Should there be rooms where patients can smoke? What about staff who are smokers? Should psychiatric patients be allowed to smoke? What sort of help should be provided for patients and staff who want to give up smoking?

The International Network Towards Smoke-Free Hospitals faces these questions, produces guidance, exchanges information.

The International Network Towards Smoke-Free Hospitals acts in cooperation with international bodies, such as the International Hospital Federation. It has surveyed hospitals in English speaking countries in Africa. Twenty-nine hospitals and health service facilities in thirteen countries responded, showing Africa wants to enter a more active phase in abolishing smoking in health care facilities. The International Network's annual Tom Hurst Award for the best smoke-free hospital initiatives of the year has been won by hospitals in Sweden, Austria, Ireland and the United Kingdom. It publishes a newsletter, Smoke-Free Hospitals International.

Being a registered charity under British law means that the International Network is a voluntary, independent body which is supervised by a legal regulatory body, the Charities Commission.

A committee of unpaid volunteers. The Chairman is Prof. John Stephens, a British Academic, Abdul Salam Al Madani, Council member from the United Arab Emirates and Dr. Roberto Masironi from Switzerland, a retired World Health Organization official. The other council members include Dr. Leland L. Fairbanks MD.President of ACAS from Tempe USA. Heading the Network is industrialist Sir Peter Walters, its Patron.