Published on: 29th September 2023
A new tobacco dependency treatment service for inpatients at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) has been hailed as a great service by patients.
Since the start of the rollout of ‘QUIT’, the Trust’s tobacco dependency service, in January this year, approximately 150 patients have been seen by the service, with a third of those going on to set a quit date.
Through the programme, all patients admitted on to one of the Trust’s wards who smoke are offered Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to abstain from smoking, along with specialist advice and support to quit smoking for good.
The service supports part of the NHS Long Term Plan, which says all hospitals should offer tobacco dependency treatment services to inpatients, maternity service users and mental health patients by 2024.
Lorretta Mason, Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service Lead at LPFT, said: “Tobacco dependence is preventable, but we know quitting on your own is hard, which is why our service has been developed to provide a range of effective treatments for our inpatients.
“Our team play a critical role in offering support and information to patients, enabling lasting change, beyond the hospital doors.
“A personal treatment plan whilst on the ward, including support upon discharge, for your care to continue through your local, community stop smoking service.”
To date, the service has supported nine patients to achieve four weeks smokefree and of those, at least three have abstained from smoking for over six months. A further nine patients have started their quit journeys as inpatients and then continued with support from One You Lincolnshire on discharge.
One You Lincolnshire provide a 12-week stop smoking programme for those living, working or registered with a GP in Lincolnshire over the age of 12. The QUIT Team works closely with them to support a seamless transition for continuation of treatment when patients are discharged into the community.
Feedback from patients about the service has been extremely positive, with one patient, who is now seven months smokefree, commenting: “I would recommend the service to anyone thinking about quitting.
“I don’t really miss smoking at all! I think the service is great and I’m glad that I decided to give it a try.”
This October sees the return of the national campaign ‘Stoptober’. The campaign, which runs every year, aims to empower people to give up smoking during October, as evidence shows people are five times more likely to quit for good if they can make it to at least 28 days smoke-free.
More information about quitting smoking and support available locally can be found on the NHS website: www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/find-your-local-stop-smoking-service/
