Topic Report: Smoking and tobacco control

Based on the Healthy Lifestyle Needs Assessment completed in March 2022, the following recommendations were made for smoking cessation commissioners within Buckinghamshire:

• consideration should be given to targeting smoking cessation services at particular groups and communities:
  • older smokers (those aged 60 plus) and the retired
  • ethnic minority communities (those of Asian heritage in particular)
  • people who are sick, disabled and unable to work (including those with mental health issues and those with a long-term condition)
  • residents in areas of higher deprivation
• offers to these communities must take into account the cultural competence of staff and the service offer considering any adaptations that might need to be undertaken to better engage with these groups (rather than for instance publicising existing provision to a specific group but without making any group-specific adaptations)
• Stop Smoking Services (SSS) should identify and utilise personally relevant levers to increase motivations to quit (including life events) when engaging with clients, utilising these as ‘teachable moments’ that enable people to reflect on their smoking
• whilst population-wide measures of smoking in Buckinghamshire are generally good, there is the need for ongoing information and promotional campaigns to increase general knowledge of SSS support available in Buckinghamshire.
• health reasons are the most often identified reason for making a quit attempt therefore the role of primary and secondary care professionals is essential in encouraging smokers to quit. There is therefore a need for ongoing communication with healthcare workers to ensure that they make onward referrals of clients into local SSS.
• SSS should consider the use of a ‘cut down to quit’ approach for those who may find the traditional method of an abrupt quit more difficult

Recommendations for the Health and Wellbeing Board include:

• the NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) has set out a commitment to deliver NHS funded tobacco dependence treatment services across inpatient, maternity and outpatient/community settings- our local NHS Trusts should ensure that these services are fully operational by 2023/2024
• primary Care should ensure that all patients are asked about their smoking status, with a timely referral made to local stop smoking support
• pharmacies should use Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) sales as an opportunity to engage in a conversation about local stop smoking support and make direct referrals where possible