A service that has been at the forefront of helping thousands of patients quit smoking and improve their health across hospitals is celebrating its third anniversary.
The tobacco dependency treatment service (TDTS), which helps inpatients at The James Cook University Hospital and Friarage Hospital to quit, reduce or abstain from smoking through recognised methods, is marking three years since its inception.
The service is built on the proven model implemented in Canada and Manchester and aims to provide all tobacco smokers admitted for an overnight stay in hospital with a funded tobacco dependency treatment service.
While the primary aim is to help all inpatients quit or abstain from smoking, the team follows the model and refers consenting inpatients for long-term support in the community.
They have also taken the process a step further by offering two and four-week follow-ups post-discharge to provide further support and guidance. Hospital staff are also signposted by the team to receive support to quit or abstain from smoking.
In the last three years, they have:
- Set up a team of six specialist members to support inpatients in their journey to stop smoking.
- Reviewed more than 6,680 inpatients since 30 August 2022 – which means everyone has been offered Very Brief Advice (VBA) to either quit or reduce smoking.
- Referred 770 inpatients to the community smoke-free team to receive further support in their quit journey.
- Embedded digital communications as a way to contact patients who were missed by sending out text messages.
- Provided patients with two weeks’ worth of supply of nicotine replacement therapy on discharge.
Tobacco dependency treatment lead, Maria Taylor established the service in 2022 after working for more than 35 years in the NHS. 29 years of these were spent working at James Cook in a variety of roles, including starting her career as a nurse before moving into corporate services.
Maria, who will be taking early retirement and saying goodbye to her team in September, said: “The TDTS lead role has been very challenging but one of the most enjoyable jobs I have had in my NHS career. I am so proud of what we have achieved. The leadership team in cancer services has been amazing in supporting this new service.
“Knowing that what we do saves lives and improves the quality of life for individuals and their loved ones around them is a gift – and our clinical colleagues are paramount in this process as the first point of contact for patients. Talking with patients who have had access to our service is very satisfying, hearing that they have cut down or quit smoking is so rewarding.”
The service also offers specialist support and helps to pregnant women struggling to quit smoking through an individualised treatment programme.
In the three years, the TDTS’s maternity team has:
- Referred 1,271 pregnant smokers
- Engaged 390 pregnant smokers with the service
- Supported 245 pregnant women struggling with smoking set a quit date
- Helped 115 babies be born to mums who have completely quit smoking
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