A PROGRAMME offering support for hospital patients in Worcestershire to stop smoking has proved a huge success helping to save lives, free up hospital bed spaces, and save the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds in treatment.
The NHS-funded programme at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is offered to all adult inpatients and pregnant women who smoke.
The first year of the programme has seen successful results with 57 per cent of those accepting the offer saying they have quit smoking after just four weeks.
Since launching in 2024, the Tobacco Dependency Prevention Programme has delivered significant outcomes.
The data from the Inpatient Tobacco Dependency Service Calculator reveals the programme has freed up the equivalent of 1.4 hospital bed spaces per day, saved 52 lives, and reduced hospital readmissions resulting in a cost saving of £253,196.
Around 40 per cent of hospital inpatients who smoked accepted support and set a quit date, making a significant step towards a long-term health improvement.
A dedicated maternity tobacco dependency service is also on offer, supporting all pregnant women who smoke at the time of their first appointment, as well as household members who smoke.
Among pregnant women referred to the programme, 56% took up the offer of support, with 87 per cent of those setting a quit date and half of them remaining smoke free at the time of their delivery.
Support is delivered through face to face appointments – either at home or at hospital locations – ensuring services are accessible to individual needs.
In recognition of the success of the programme at the Trust, NHS England gave the service a Grade A rating after achieving its Level One Service Quality for demonstrating a commitment to best practice, reducing health inequalities, and involving patients in the design and delivery of care.
Clare Rochelle, Lead Tobacco Dependency Nurse at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “Smoking tobacco is the leading modifiable risk factor for health inequalities. Treating tobacco dependence when someone is admitted to hospital, regardless of their intention to stop smoking, enables a faster recovery and earlier discharge, reduces their risk of readmission and death from their acute illness.
“We now have a funded 12-week programme of support for any adult inpatient who has been admitted to hospital overnight wishing to make a quit attempt.”
Lead Midwife for the ‘Saving Babies Lives’ service, Linda Haynes, said: “The dedicated maternity service has recently expanded and now has five Tobacco Dependency Advisors who are all extremely passionate about helping our service users quit smoking to safeguard their own health, that of their new baby and the rest of the family.
“It is a service we are very proud of.”
