THE TOBACCO dependency treatment service (TDTS), which helps inpatients in South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to quit, reduce or abstain from smoking through recognised methods, is celebrating its two-year anniversary.
The service is built on the proven model implemented in Canada and Manchester, which aims to provide all tobacco smokers admitted for an overnight stay in a hospital with a funded tobacco dependency treatment service.
While the primary aim is to help all inpatients quit or abstain from smoking, the team follows the model and refers consenting inpatients for long-term support in the community.
The team has taken a step forward to offer follow-ups after two and four weeks post-discharge to provide support and guidance.
Hospital staff are also signposted by the team to receive support to quit or abstain from smoking.
These past two years have seen the team established as a permanent service and has so far:
- Set up a strong team of six specialist members to support inpatients in their journey to stop smoking
- Reviewed more than 3300 inpatients since seeing its first patient on 30 August 2022 – which means everyone has been offered Very Brief Advice (VBA) to either quit or reduce smoking
- Referred 532 inpatients to the community smoke-free team to receive further support in their quit journey
- Patients receiving two weeks’ worth of supply of nicotine replacement therapy on discharge
Tobacco dependency treatment lead Maria Taylor said: “Our ward staff have really embraced the service, and the team has worked hard to establish a successful service.
“Through education, presenting at various events including the care certificate course, we are raising awareness of how patients feel when they are in nicotine withdrawal and how NRT can help
them in the withdrawal phase and how quitting can improve their health and wellbeing.”
Besides helping inpatients who wish to quit smoking to get the support they need, the tobacco dependency treatment service will also be participating in the annual Stoptober campaign.
A public health campaign, Stoptober aims to empower people to give up smoking during October, as evidence shows people are 5 times more likely to quit for good if they can make it to at least 28 days smoke free.
Maria added: “Our team has successfully supported hundreds of inpatients in their journey to quit smoking.
“Throughout Stoptober, we will be sharing case studies of these patients who have quit or reduced smoking with the wider public and share key messages on why smoking is harmful for you and your family.
“This is all to promote a single objective of assisting individuals to lead a smoke-free life.”
Picture – From L to R: Laura Daniel, Nikki Ellis, Maria Taylor and Dennis Cocker
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