As today is National No Smoking Day, we thought we’d take the opportunity to tell you more about our work to keep our sites smoke free, by supporting patients and staff to Swap and Stop.
We appreciate that coming into hospital can be a stressful time – which can be a trigger to crave nicotine if you do smoke. However, please don’t worry, as it’s easy to get the support you need.
We also know that other people smoking around our hospitals is something that many of you are concerned about. For example, when we opened our new main entrance at Grimsby recently, one of the first comments we had was from Denise who said: “I hope you move the smokers on” and many others agreed.
But we have a dedicated team that’s here to help.
Since launching in August 2022, the Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service team working across our Group* has already helped more than 2,969 people accessing our services to go smokefree.
Clinical Lead Kaylee Hopwood, said: “It may be National No Smoking Day, but every day is no smoking day for me and my team – that’s what we’re here for.
“Roughly one in four patients who are admitted to our hospitals smoke, and smoking-related diseases are often contributory factors to them needing hospital care.
“So, we are here to offer friendly and non-judgemental advice and help to anyone being admitted to our hospitals or accessing our maternity services, who would like help to stop smoking.
“We can offer Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) medication such as patches, lozenges and inhalators to deal with the physical withdrawal, as well as working with each client individually to provide behavioural and habit change therapy, as using these treatments, people are three times more likely to quit for good.”
The support we offer can start from the moment you’re admitted to one of our hospitals, or you and your family access our maternity services.
If you’re being admitted, please let our clinical staff know that you smoke and we can arrange to give you some fast-acting NRT to help keep you comfortable.
Once you’re on the ward, our staff can refer you to the Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service (feel free to ask them to do this) and one of the team will be with you within 48 hours to put together a personalised plan for you.
If you or someone in your household is having a baby, our team of midwives can also refer you to the team, who can help you to remain Smokefree for the duration of your pregnancy and beyond.
Kaylee added: “Another alternative is vaping. This is at least 95% less harmful than smoking and is allowed outdoors and away from open windows and entrances on all our sites.”
Further support may also be available through the Targeted Lung Health Check service. If you’re aged between 55 and 74, you’re registered with a local GP and you either smoke or used to smoke, you may receive a letter inviting you to have one of the free checks.
Kaylee said: “If you receive one of these invitations, I would strongly encourage you to take up the offer. Research shows that people who meet these criteria are most at risk of developing lung problems, including lung cancer, and these checks can reassure you that your lungs are healthy or, if there are issues, find them early, which means your treatment could be simpler and more successful.”
Find out more about the Swap and Stop service and how it can help you.
*Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust and Hull University Teaching Hospitals