Table 1 Characteristics of stop smoking services
Background | Established in 1999 in the most disadvantaged areas in England |
Rolled out across the UK from 2000 | |
Represent a unique national initiative to provide support for smokers motivated to quit [1] | |
Service provision | Service provision framework is based on an evidenced based approach to treating dependent smokers [2] |
Usually involves regular meetings (one to one or in groups) with a trained adviser, using structured withdrawal-oriented behavioural support combined with smoking cessation medications [1] | |
Smoking cessation medications are usually offered on the basis of an abstinent-contingent treatment programme involving an initial course of two to four weeks, followed by further prescriptions if the quit attempt is continuing [3] | |
If a smokers’ attempt to quit is unsuccessful, advisers can use discretion and professional judgement when considering whether a client is immediately ready to receive support to attempt to stop smoking again [4] | |
Training | Smoking cessation staff come from a wide variety of backgrounds |
They are trained in the provision of treatments to help with stopping smoking | |
This training is currently being standardised in England through a newly established National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training | |
Targets | For the first ten years, targets were set within England for the numbers of smokers attending the services who set a quit date and who quit smoking four weeks after the start of treatment |
Smoking cessation services are currently expected in the course of a year to treat 5% of their local population, in line with best practice recommendations contained within National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence programme guidance for smoking cessation [3] |