Welcome to the Smokefree Devon Alliance Newsletter
As always, please share any information you would like to see included in future editions.
Newsletter Headlines:
- New Position Statement on Smokefree NHS Policy from chair and Director of Public Health, Steve Brown
- Better Health Campaign
- Stoptober Review!
- Stop Smoking Advisor Training 2021
Position Statement: Smokefree NHS Trusts
The last decade has seen a widening of health inequalities and a stalling of life expectancy. It is critical that we do what we can to change this, both because it is the right thing to do, but also because we have a duty to do so. Smoking has been identified as the single biggest cause of inequality in death rates in the UK. The importance and significance of work to reduce this harm must not go unrecognised.
As Director of Public Health for Devon, and chair of the Smokefree Devon Alliance, I wish to confirm my full support for the increased prioritisation of treating tobacco dependence within secondary care, using approaches which take a broad, system view.
Policy and published guidance clearly support the establishment of a smokefree policy within NHS organisations. This statement sets out my support and encouragement for the inclusion of all the following elements in the development and implementation of a smokefree policy within secondary care:
- Providing leadership within the trust by assigning a clinical or medical director to lead on treating tobacco dependence within secondary care services
- Planning communications to encourage a cultural change within the organisation, and ensure widespread knowledge, acceptance of and compliance with the 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
To be successful, these elements need to be done in combination. Addressing one aspect in isolation will not lead to the success needed to drive down inequalities and preventable ill health caused by tobacco in Devon. Each strand has an important role to play to support the success of another.
Our local acute and mental health trusts in Devon have shown some excellent progress towards creating a smokefree NHS. The ongoing goal of the Smokefree Devon Alliance task and finish group is to work collaboratively to address tobacco dependence within acute and mental health trusts, across the wider Devon footprint, which promises some exciting progress for the future. The Smokefree Devon Alliance commits to continuing to support trusts with this important work.
Steve Brown
Director of Public Health, Devon
Chair of the Smokefree Devon Alliance
To access the full version of this statement, including supporting information, please follow this link
Better Health Campaign
After successfully kickstarting the nation’s health at launch in 2020, the Better Health campaign is returning in January 2021 with positive and motivating messages to support us all to take action to improve our health. The campaign will show the public the simple steps they can take to help them feel better.
For almost everyone, life in 2020 has been fundamentally different. It has prompted people to reflect on what really matters to them, with many of our audience refocusing on family, friends, and health. Recent research revealed that 80% of adults plan to make at least one change to their health and wellbeing in 2021.
Public Health England’s Better Health campaign launched on Monday 4th January, to help provide the nation with the resources to take the first steps towards making positive, healthier choices in 2021. As they look towards the start of a new year, people are looking for support to take practical actions that could make them feel better, so January’s Better Health campaign provides just that, whether people want to lose weight, quit smoking or increase their activity levels.
There are plenty of campaign resources available here!
Stoptober Review!
Stoptober encourages smokers to make a quit attempt for October and beyond and is based on the evidence that if a smoker can quit for 28 days, they are five times more likely to quit for good. This year, due to the pandemic, a new approach was taken for the campaign, which resulted in a 45% increase of smoking cessation referrals in target groups.
Follow this link to read about the focused, targeted approach in partnership with Devon Partnership Trust and Maternity Services.
‘Having the stop smoking adviser there to support me when I am struggling is helpful. The weekly contact has given me something to work towards and has made the month go by really quickly.’
- Stoptober quitter, Devon Partnership Trust.
|
