Smokefree QEH

Smokefree QEH

Working as a collaborative service with the other Acute trusts across Norfolk & Waveney, patients under the care of QEH can access in-house tobacco dependency treatment for support to quit smoking. There are two services available, Maternity and Inpatient.

Maternity Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service (SmartStart)

Pregnant smokers who provide a high Carbon Monoxide recording at booking and every point of contact in their pregnancy journey, will be provided an opt-out referral to join the pathway and will be given an elevated package of care.

Pregnant smokers will be aimed to be contacted within 48 hours of booking by a Tobacco Dependent Advisor (TDA), who are trained in counselling and supporting pregnant smokers to quit by understanding addictive behaviours. Pregnant smokers will be given advice and support, and with the ongoing support from local authority Public Health Teams, prescribed nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, gum and vapes to help them quit. Additionally at the first appointment, the TDA will talk through other available options, including Allen Carr’s Easyway.

All pregnant smokers will be monitored and asked about smoking at every appointment thereafter within their pregnancy, with the behavioural support happening weekly for the first 4 weeks, then supported monthly thereafter and up to 2 weeks postnatally to remain smokefree.

Inpatient Tobacco Dependency Treatment Service

The service is available to support smokers to quit whilst in hospital, where identified smokers who have an overnight admission are to be referred to the service on an opt-out basis for Tobacco Dependency Treatment. TDAs will visit patients by their bedside and if the service offer is taken up by the patient, they will assess current smoking behaviours and talk through the different forms of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) available and importance of stopping smoking for the patients’ health.

If the patient accepts the behavioural support and wants to quit smoking, the TDA will complete a referral to the appropriate eligible local stop smoking provider. The local stop smoking provider will contact the patient post discharge and arrange for continued NRT provision and talk through the other available smoking cessation aids that are available, i.e. vapes.

Tobacco Dependency Advisors

All our friendly Tobacco Dependency Advisors are National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) qualified, staying up to date with all the latest guidance to enable them to deliver specialist behavioural support, and complete ongoing competency assessments to assess their knowledge and service delivery.

The benefits of quitting

By itself, nicotine is a relatively harmless drug similar to caffeine. However, the remaining chemicals in tobacco are very harmful when smoked. These are the chemicals that cause severe damage throughout the body and will often lead to premature death. The good news is that once you stop smoking, your health improves and your body will begin to recover. There are also mental health benefits to quitting, including reduced feelings of anxiety and stress, improved mood and quality of life.

We know quitting smoking is difficult

Tobacco contains thousands of chemicals. One of these is nicotine, which is highly addictive and can cause very unpleasant cravings and withdrawal symptoms, when you reduce or stop accessing nicotine. Our advisors understand this and can support you along your quit attempt.

What happens when you quit?

 

Stats showing the benefits of quitting smoking.

Resources

Smokefree QEH

As a leading healthcare provider across Norfolk, the Trust recognise we have a responsibility to encourage good health and to help tackle major causes of ill health by providing an environment that supports people to quit smoking.

All buildings and grounds across our hospital and community sites are completely smoke free, helping to protect the health and wellbeing of our patients, staff and visitors, meaning tobacco smoking is prohibited.

There are no designated smoking areas on our site. Smoking is not permitted in our gardens, walkways or shelters.

People seen smoking will be respectfully reminded of the smokefree site, informed of the available smoking cessation support and politely asked to leave our grounds if they wish to smoke.

Smoking puts people at risk of complications and delays their recovery. A Smokefree hospital creates the right environment for people trying to stop smoking and also for those who need to remain smoke free whilst in hospital or visiting.

Anyone who would like to give up smoking can access free help and support by contacting the local Stop Smoking Services. To get in touch with your local service, please contact the below:

Norfolk

Smokefree Norfolk

Cambridegshire

Healthy You

Lincolnshire

One You Lincolnshire

Why are we smokefree?

There are many reasons for being smokefree including:

  • One in two long-term smokers will die early from smoking related diseases
  • Smoking is a major cause of premature death and loss of healthy life expectancy
  • Around a quarter of cancer deaths and a third of respiratory related deaths are estimated to be attributable to smoking
  • Four out of five people don’t smoke and of those that do many would like to stop
  • Public support for controls on smoking in public spaces is high
  • The annual local cost of smoking to Norfolk is £308.5m
  • Smoking prevalence in the area is above the national average, and being Smokefree will enable an environment for people to feel supported to quit and reduce the prevalence to help meet Norfolk’s aim of being Smokefree by 2030

Is vaping allowed?

Vaping in the grounds is allowed, within the designated zones, known as quit zones. For patients and visitors, this is located to the front of the hospital.

What does it mean for me?

Patients

  • Patients are not allowed to smoke anywhere in hospital buildings or grounds
  • You will be asked if you smoke, and if you would like help to stop
  • You will be offered nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) whilst in hospital
  • You will be sign-posted to the local smoking cessation service
  • You will be allowed to vape on the hospital grounds within the designated zones

Visitors

  • Visitors are not allowed to smoke anywhere in hospital buildings or grounds
  • You will be allowed to vape on the hospital grounds within the designated zones

Contractors, staff and students

  • You are allowed to vape on the hospital grounds within the designated zones.

Help us to help you…

It is important that people do not smoke in secret either inside or outside Trust property. We are here to support you and the best way we can do this is by being open and honest with one another.

  • Call the Smokefree National Helpline number 0300 123 1044
  • Discover more on the NHS Smokefree site
  • Many pharmacies and GPs are also trained to offer support locally

What are the health benefits if you give up smoking?

  • 20 minutes: Your blood pressure and pulse go back to normal
  • 8 hours: Nicotine and carbon monoxide levels in your blood reduce by half. Oxygen levels return to normal
  • 24 hours: Your lungs start to clear out mucus and carbon monoxide will be eliminated
  • 48 hours: Your body is free of nicotine and your sense of taste and smell have improved
  • 72 hours: Your breathing is easier and you should have more energy
  • 3 to 9 months: Your lung capacity can improve by up to 10%, leading to improvement with coughing, breathing and wheezing
  • 5 years: Your risk of a stroke falls to about the same as a non-smoker
  • 10 years: Your risk of lung cancer falls to half that of a smoker and risk of heart attack falls to the same as a non-smoker

Top 10 tips to quit smoking

  1. Get support, don’t go it alone
  2. Change your usual routine
  3. Make your home a smoke free zone
  4. Save your cigarette money
  5. Treat yourself
  6. Take regular exercise
  7. Take up a hobby
  8. Keep busy
  9. Avoid difficult situations
  10. Remember – You can do it

Useful links:

Surgery factsheet

Vaping myth-busting