Hundreds of hospital patients quit smoking in NHS plan

A new stop smoking service in the Humber and North Yorkshire region has been hailed as a huge success

Hundreds of hospital patients across the Humber and North Yorkshire have stopped smoking thanks to a new treatment plan, care providers said.

More than 2,000 patients have attended since the rollout in August 2022, with a third now "completely smoke-free".

The scheme, run by the Humber and North Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, is free for NHS staff and patients.

Treatment adviser Barbara Lucas said it was "brilliant" to see the number of patients who had quit under the scheme.

Peter Roderick, Consultant in Public Health for the Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, said: "Smoking has a huge negative impact on health - cigarettes kill two out of every three users.

"Rather than simply telling people not to smoke when they come to hospital, offering effective tobacco dependency treatment is the most important thing we can do to free people from addiction, reduce their chances of having to come back to hospital and help them live longer, healthier and happier lives."

The new service aims to offer a more "seamless experience" by bringing together hospital trusts, local government, community stop smoking services, pharmacy and public health teams.

Ms Lucas, a tobacco dependency treatment adviser at Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: "The bit that I love is talking to the patients and working together to address habits and triggers around smoking and suggesting small changes which can ease that person's journey to becoming smoke-free."

Of the patients seen in hospital so far, more than 60% went on to make a plan to quit, experts said.

Research nurse Paul Brittain decided give quitting another try in summer 2022 and said: "Nearly a year on and I feel amazing - breathing, moving, and smelling better than ever.

"More importantly, I am still smoke free, which I never envisaged hearing myself say."