The QUIT Programme is rolling out the systematic treatment of tobacco addiction, on an opt out basis, in the eight NHS Trusts in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw.

This innovative Programme recognises that smoking is an addiction to the nicotine in tobacco, an addiction that we can and should be treating as part of the routine care offered to all our patients who smoke.

  • Smoking is a chronic, relapsing illness that often starts in childhood and it needs treating – just as we would treat any other illness.
  • Treating tobacco addiction as part of all smokers routine care is everyone’s responsibility.
  • Treating tobacco addiction is the single most cost effective and lifesaving intervention the NHS can provide.

Jacqui Pollington, Respiratory Nurse Consultant at Rotherham Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, talking about the new treatment model for tobacco addiction.

What does QUIT stand for?

The letters in QUIT stand for the key steps taken by ward staff to start someone’s tobacco addiction treatment when they have been admitted to hospital.

Click here for more information.

The QUIT Programme has four strands:
 

QUIT for Patients

Treatment of tobacco addiction by clinical teams and specialist Tobacco Treatment Advisors

QUIT for Parents

Clinical teams will provide very brief advice and refer the parent to the tobacco treatment advisors 
QUIT for Staff

On site specialist support from tobacco treatment advisors and free medications for NHS Trust staff who would like to QUIT
QUIT for a Smoke Free Hospital

Promoting a smoke free environment for staff, patients and visitors. Treating patients’ tobacco addiction will help us achieve this.

Please view the e-learning packages for full details of the QUIT treatment pathways. Summaries of those pathways are given below and additional resources are also available in the Resource section of the website.

  • Clinical teams systematically identify smokers on admission to hospital and offer brief advice and nicotine replacement therapy (or e-cigs in Mental Health Trusts) on an opt-out basis.
  • Specialist Tobacco Treatment Advisors based in the hospital will be notified of and see all smokers while they are in hospital on an opt-out basis.
  • Smokers will have ongoing specialist support and medications once they leave hospital.

Treatment and support is offered to all smokers on an ‘opt-out’ basis – just like we would offer treatment for any other medical condition such as asthma or diabetes. This will enable the most people to benefit from the effective treatments and specialist support available and give us the best outcomes. This ‘opt out’ approach has been successfully implemented in maternity services for a number of years.

In Mental Health Trusts the focus is on harm reduction as well as treatment to stop smoking.

Take a look at the summary pathways below. More detail is given in the Supporting Q&As and the e-learning packages.

 

Acute Trusts

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Summary of Inpatient Pathway

 

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Questions and Answers

 

Mental Health Trusts

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Summary Inpatient Pathway

 

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Question and Answers

 

Children's Hospital / Paediatric Wards

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Summary Inpatient Pathway young people and their parent/carers

Questions and Answers (Coming soon)

  • Clinical teams will give very brief advice and signpost patients to their local Community Stop Smoking Services
  • Provision of specialist Tobacco Treatment Advisor support for people on selected priority outpatient pathways

  • Clinical teams will provide very brief advice and refer service users to the Mental Health Trust Tobacco Treatment Advisors for specialist treatment and support