CLINICIANS at the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust have announced expanded support for patients to help stop smoking.
Inpatients in all wards and sites run by the trust will be able to access a range of support to help kick the habit, including counselling from a Tobacco Dependency Advisor.
They have so far supported more than 150 patients to stop, more than three-quarters took up the offer of Nicotine Replacement Therapy during their stay and to take home with them afterwards.
The scheme has been made possible by support from the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire Integrated Care Board, as part of their work on preventative health interventions.
Dr Sabrina Black, Respiratory Consultant said, “We know that quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health.
“And we also know it’s not an easy thing to do–especially if you are in an unfamiliar, and stressful environment like a hospital, away from the support network you may have at home to help you quit.
“I’m really pleased that we’re now able to make sure that any patient staying with us who smokes, will have support – both in terms of conversation, and also Nicotine Replacement Therapy to help them start their journey to being smoke-free, and all the health benefits that brings with it.”
Katie Prichard-Thomas, Chief Nursing Officer at the Trust said, “Investing in this support for our patients is so important.
“We’ve had patients staying with us who have smoked for decades, and after meeting with a member of staff, and getting nicotine replacement therapy, are still smoke-free now they’re back at home.
“No matter how long you’ve smoked for, stopping is such a positive step for you and those around you.”
She explained: “We’ve also extended this type of support to our own staff too, running monthly face-to-face sessions for them to come along to and start on their own journey, helping them to fit looking after their own health alongside caring for our patients. It’s Stoptober this month, so there’s never been a better time to stop.”
Smoking costs the NHS more than £2 billion and causes 80,000 deaths annually.
NHS figures show that 2 in 3 smokers wish to quit and that users of Nicotine Replacement Therapy are twice as likely to quit.
