Evidence from community pharmacy smoking cessation services has shown that in the four months prior to April 2007 - 4,500 smokers set a quit date, more than five times as many as the same period last year.
The Minister said “One month on from its introduction, the smoking legislation seems to have boosted many smokers resolve to quit with pharmacies reporting that five times as many people as last year have come forward for help. This is a record number for Northern Ireland.
“Although the purpose of the legislation is to protect the public from the damaging effects of second-hand smoke, it appears to have encouraged many smokers to seek help to end the habit.
“I understand that giving up smoking can be a difficult process and although surveys over the years have consistently shown that around 70% of smokers would like to quit, many find it hard to do. It is therefore important that cessation services are available to support smokers in their efforts to quit"
Mr McGimpsey continued: “There are over 300 community pharmacies providing cessation services. They are doing a fantastic job.”
The pharmacy service offers smokers who are ready to quit a 12 week programme of advice and support with free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) available for those who do not pay for their prescriptions.
The Minister concluded “Stopping smoking is the single biggest step that anyone can take to improve their health and the wellbeing of those around them. I am therefore delighted that 4,500 smokers have signed up to quit with community pharmacies.”
Smokers who want more information about their local community pharmacy cessation service or other services and advice on stopping smoking can contact the Northern Ireland Smokers’ Helpline on 0800 858585.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. Health and Social Services (HSS) Boards commission smoking cessation services from specialist providers including GP surgeries and community pharmacies.
2. HSS Boards have reported that almost 300 community pharmacies across the region are providing the smoking cessation service compared to 71 last year and that over 4,500 smokers set a quit date with them during December 2006 and March 2007, over five times as many as the previous year.
3. The Department has made around £8 million available since 1999 to facilitate the development of a major public information campaign and the provision of a range of smoking cessation services across Northern Ireland. Other initiatives included the establishment, in January 2003, of a dedicated telephone helpline service for smokers and the publication, in April 2003, of a Training Framework, which sets standards for smoking cessation services across the HPSS.
4. An additional £480,000 was made available to Boards in 2006/07 and for 2007/08 to improve access to NRT through pharmacy based cessation services following the announcement that comprehensive controls on smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces would be introduced in Northern Ireland in April 2007.
5. Evidence has shown that pharmacy-based cessation services combine large numbers of clients with four-week quit rates higher than many other service providers.
6. As well as receiving expert advice and counselling the majority of smokers were supplied with an appropriate NRT product to help them to break the habit and 18,000 items of NRT were supplied in the first four months of the service to April 2007.
7. Any smoker who is motivated to quit can join the service and receive free weekly advice and behavioural support from a specially trained pharmacist. If NRT is recommended there is no charge for those who are normally exempt from prescription charges or for those who possess a pre-payment certificate. For anyone else a prescription charge will be levied.
8. A promotional campaign was launched on 1st December 2006 in all participating pharmacies targeting the smoker who is thinking about stopping. The posters and leaflets ask ‘Are you ready to quit?’ and direct smokers to ask for information about the service available in the pharmacy.
9. Smokers who currently pay for their prescriptions receive free advice and pay a prescription charge for each week’s NRT supplied or they can purchase a four month pre-payment certificate for £34.65.
10. All pharmacy based services will be registered with ‘The NI Smokers Helpline ‘0800 85 85 85’. This is the first point of contact for many smokers seeking help to quit as it keeps a database of all specialist smoking cessation services in the region, directing smokers to the service that is most suitable for their needs.
11. Smoking Cessation Services are monitored by DHSSPS and reports, produced quarterly and annually, are available to view on the Departments website at www.dhsspsni.gov.uk
12. Evidence on the effectiveness of NRT in combination with advice and support is available from THORAX 2000, ‘Incremental effects of smoking cessation interventions on abstinence for six months or greater’ at www.crestni.org.uk
13. Further advice on the Regional Pharmacy Specialist Smoking Cessation Service is available from the Tobacco Control Coordinator at Health Boards.
Eastern Board, Nicky McKee 028 9032 1313
Southern Board, Siobhan O’Brien 028 3741 4624
Northern Board, Pat Purvis 028 2531 1140
Western Board, Mark McBride 028 7186 0086
14. For media enquiries please contact Jenny Magill or Thomas Spence at the DHSSPS Press Office on 028 90520575. Photographs of the event are available to download at www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/photogallery
