The plea came after disquiet over staff being forced to leave the Ninewells site to have a smoke.

NHS Tayside brought in a smoking policy last November which went way beyond the requirements of the national ban on smoking in public places.

The Tayside policy outlawed smoking everywhere in the NHS including hospital grounds and even private vehicles parked in those grounds.

TGWU representative Marie Vannet told the board she was a lifetime non-smoker but defended the right of colleagues who did smoke to be able to do that in safety and with dignity.

She called for a “discreet” shelter on the Ninewells site where nicotine addicts could satisfy their craving in safety and with dignity.

She insisted staff were not asking for something unreasonable and were not seeking to flout the smoking policy. She also pointed out staff were not looking to have a smoke outwith normal breaks.

Mrs Vannet insisted what they sought was a commonsense approach. “I know some people cannot give up smoking and won’t give up because they enjoy it.

“We are not asking for special smoking breaks but for people to be allowed to do what they want in their own breaks.

“It’s not attractive for people to stand huddled under a tree at the west gate in Ninewells and it is not a very dignified position for staff to be in.”

She expressed concern about staff leaving the premises at night and also the conflict between pedestrians and traffic when people were moving off-site for a smoke.

She said many staff worked 12-hour shifts and found it very hard to not smoke for that long.

Chairman Peter Bates suggested a three-month period for senior executives to consult staff and report back to the board in March.

He said the board took its duty of care to employees and their health and safety very seriously but thought it unwise to take a decision today. There was unanimous support for his suggestion.