If you smoke, the best thing you can do for your health is to stop, and the best way of doing that is with a combination of support and medication or a vaping device. Stopping smoking also improves your recovery process and reduces risk of complications before, during and after any hospital procedures.
Contact your local stop smoking service at any time for free support.
When you are admitted to hospital, we will ask if you smoke. If so, we will aim to provide a stop smoking medicine (or nicotine swap) within half an hour of admission – this will keep you comfortable and manage any cravings.
If you are staying for longer than a day, one of our Tobacco Dependency Treatment Team will come to the ward to visit you within 48 hours to find out how you are doing, talk about your swap options and provide any ongoing support that you may need.
As vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking, we will also be encouraging people who cannot stop using support and medication alone to try vaping as a way of stopping smoking entirely. Vaping is allowed outdoors, away from open windows and entrances.
For further information, please visit swapandstop.co.uk.
