You may be aware that many hospitals have, in line with NICE guidelines, committed to becoming completely smoke-free on the wards and in the grounds, by the end of March 2016.
Smoking is the main cause of preventable illness and premature death. Currently in the UK, approximately 21% of the population smoke and one in three cigarettes are smoked by people with mental health problems.
The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) says that much of the substantially lower life expectancy of people with mental disorders relates to smoking, which is often overlooked during the management and treatment of their mental health condition.
Stoptober is the national stop smoking campaign and it starts on 1 October. This public health campaign encourages people who smoke to quit for the month of October, as any smoker who manages to stop for 28 days is then five times more likely to quit for good. If you or your patients are keen to quit, please contact us for advice, resources and to discuss nicotine replacement therapy or alternatives.
We have trained smoking cessation advisors ready to help and support you to quit successfully and we would love to hear from you.