Pilot scheme brings in staff to tackle issue of smoking on hospital grounds
Two smokefree engagement officer jobs have been created as a pilot to help tackle the problem of smoking in the grounds of Nottingham’s hospitals.
Smokers regularly congregate around entrances, despite all buildings and grounds at Nottingham University Hospital NHS Trust being smokefree since 2006.
The new staff will signpost people to stop smoking (smoking cessation) initiatives and support using the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training’s (NCSCT) Very Brief Advice (VBA) method. VBA is a life-saving intervention that triggers people to try to quit, and is recommended by NICE as evidence-based and cost-effective.
At the moment, inpatients and maternity patients identified as smokers are offered support via the NUH Tobacco Dependency Service, an initiative funded by NHS England. They’re offered nicotine-replacement therapy (NRT) and can be referred to a 12-week stop smoking programme. Staff are offered support via the Smokefree app.
Zahida Niazi, Smokefree Lead at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Smokers are not just putting their own health at risk, but the health of anyone around them. Stopping people smoking on our hospital grounds will protect patients, visitors, and staff from the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
“Smokers can vape on the grounds as an alternative to smoking. Vaping is 95% less harmful than smoking and evidence suggests that any risk from passive vaping to bystanders is small relative to tobacco cigarettes. Passive vaping is not the same as passive smoking as vapes do not contain tobacco.”
The success of the pilot will be measured by:
- the number of complaints received about smokers
- how many people accept referrals to a stop smoking service
- any increase in the number of inpatients accepting NRT
“We recognise that smoking is an addiction and some people find it difficult to stop,” said Zahida. “Our new Smokefree engagement workers will be signposting them to services which can offer help and advice.”
You can find out more and apply for the role here: smokefree Engagement Worker