Sherwood Forest Hospitals supports patients and staff throughout Stoptober

Posted Friday, September 28, 2018 2:46 PM

Sherwood Forest Hospitals supports patients and staff throughout Stoptober

During Stoptober Sherwood Forest Hospitals is reminding patients and staff that there is support available at the Trust to help quit smoking.

Stoptober is a campaign that runs throughout October to encourage people to quit smoking. Stoptober is based on research that if you can make it to 28 days smokefree, you are five times more likely to quit for good. The new Personal Quit Plan recommends a range of options to smokers including face-to-face support, nicotine replacement therapies like patches, gum or inhalers, and e-cigarettes.

For more information about Stoptober please contact Smokefree Life Nottinghamshire on ext. 6066 or 0800 2465343. Smokefree Life Nottinghamshire provide bedside support to help patients remain smokefree and can provide Nicotine Replacement Therapies for free for up to 6 weeks on discharge. Support is also provided to staff who wish to quit, as they have access to a free 30 minute assessment to discuss how they can quit smoking.

The Nottinghamshire Smokefree Life clinic is also available in the Women’s and Children’s reception on the ground floor of King’s Mill Hospital for two hours a day, Tuesday – Friday each week. The clinic provides leaflets, which include tips and advice about how to quit along with details of support groups and advice.

The Trust has also teamed up with Ashfield District Council community protection officers (CPOs), who patrol King’s Mill Hospital as part of the drive to improve the health and wellbeing of patients, visitors and staff. Whilst on the site CPOs will urge people not to light up, give advice about quitting, talk to people about littering and issue fines to repeat offenders who litter.

Respiratory Consultant and Chair of the Smokefree steering group for the Trust, Dr John Hutchinson said: “Stoptober is an ideal time for us to remind patients, staff and visitors that we are a smokefree Trust that provides support for people to stop smoking.

“Latest statistics show that out of the 6.1 million smokers in England, 6 in 10 want to quit, but most try to quit using willpower alone despite this being the least effective method. The most successful quit attempts use a combination of effective stop smoking support methods, which is why we are using this approach with our patients and staff at SFH. The best way to quit is with expert help from local stop smoking services, together with stop smoking aids.

“We are really keen for our hospitals to become truly smokefree. During Stoptober Public Health England are offering people a free online ‘Personal Quit Plan’ which I would encourage people to download, whilst also getting the right support including advice and nicotine replacement therapy.”

Stoptober is a Public Health England campaign, more information can be found by searching Stoptober.

News Archives