A task and finish group has formed to look at implementing successful smokefree grounds policies at NHS trust sites. This group hopes to explore whether we can add value by sharing successes and tackling challenges together.
This group have recognised the importance of broad approaches to tobacco dependence within organisations for smokefree site policies to be successful. This broader approach includes:
- Providing leadership within the trust
- Planning communications to encourage a cultural change within the organisation, and ensure widespread knowledge, acceptance of and compliance with smokefree policy. This should involve providing information before planned use of secondary care for both patients and their visitors or carers.
- Identifying people who smoke and offering referral to tobacco dependence treatment services
- Providing training for staff in identifying, advising and treating tobacco dependence
- Creating a fully smokefree grounds policy, including ensuring there are no designated outdoor smoking areas
- Advising on and providing stop smoking pharmacotherapies, including making these available in hospital
- Providing support for staff to stop smoking
If you are interested in joining this group, please email ruby.entwistle@devon.gov.uk
Position Statement from Steve Brown, Director of Public Health, Devon
A position statement on smokefree NHS policy from Steve Brown, the Director of Public Health for Devon and the chair of the Smokefree Devon Alliance, can be found here.
Breathe2025 NICE Guidance PH48 Toolkit
The following toolkit from Breathe2025 contains lots of resources helpful for activities to ensure compliance with NICE Guidance PH48, including resources around communications, pharmacotherapy, training and more: breathe2025.org.uk/nice-guidance-ph48-toolkit
About NICE Guidance PH48 www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ph48
Smoking: Acute, Maternity and Mental Health Services
This guideline includes recommendations on:
- identifying people who smoke and offering help to stop, including intensive support in acute and mental health services, and maternity services
- providing information and advice for carers, family, other household members and hospital visitors
- advising on and providing stop smoking pharmacotherapies, and making these available in hospital
- adjusting drug dosages for people who have stopped smoking
- putting referral systems in place for people who smoke
- developing smokefree policies and commissioning smokefree secondary care services
- supporting staff to stop smoking and providing stop smoking training for frontline staff