Stop smoking service 'may need to change'

North Northamptonshire director of public health Jane Bethea says she is "optimistic" smoking rates can be reduced

A stop smoking service may need to offer new initiatives to reach some communities, a director of public health has said.

North Northamptonshire Council has commissioned work to ask people in Corby why they have not used support successfully in the past.

Jane Bethea said in parts of the town, smoking rates were about 30%.

Across the local authority area as a whole 14.6% of the adult population smoke, rising to 21.8% of routine and manual workers - higher than the national averages of 11.9% and 20.2% respectively.

North Northamptonshire Council has partnered with the county's fire service to run "Stoptober" events to encourage people to stop smoking

The council says there are big disparities between smoking rates in different towns and villages.

Ms Bethea said smoking becomes "normalised" in some family or work settings.

"We need to take a really targeted approach and make sure we've got the right offer, at the right time, for the right population."

Once consultation work with people in parts of Corby has taken place, the service may be adjusted, she said.

Twelve weeks of free support is currently on offer where an advisor will draw up a "quit plan" which can involve e-cigarettes and nicotine replacement therapy sent straight to households.

It is not yet known what changes could take place.

Attempts to reduce the smoking rates in Corby have been made in the past and the council is receiving £487,696 of government funding every year until 2029.

Ms Bethea said she felt "optimistic" that rates could fall.

"We have had extra investment to increase our team. We've got more people able to support people in the community.

"We are willing to do things differently if we need to, to make sure we get the best possible offer," she said.

The authority said the local wait time for support, from referral to first appointment, has reduced from eight weeks to one to two weeks.