Structure

There is a Smoking Cessation Co-ordinator based within the Health Promotion Department responsible for training, co-ordination and delivery of smoking cessation services throughout NHS Forth Valley.

Introduction

In Scotland 13,000 people die every year from smoking related diseases. Smoking is recognised as the principal avoidable cause of premature death. It hits the worst off people hardest of all; it harms people who do not smoke and it harms babies in the womb.

Aims

Smoking cessation aims to:

• reduce smoking among young people
• help adults- especially the disadvantaged - to give up
• offer particular help to pregnant women who smoke

Context

There are an estimated 56,791 smokers in FVNHS . A 17% target reduction is called for which will reduce the numbers of smokers by 9,654 bringing the total of smokers to 47,137 by 2010. This will reduce the present smoking prevalence of 25.0% to 20.7% by 2010.

In deprived areas, there are an estimated 7,455 smokers. A 10.9% target reduction is called for which will reduce the numbers of smokers in deprived areas by 813 bringing the total of smokers in deprived areas to 6,642 by 2010. This will reduce the present smoking prevalence in deprived from 33.1% to 29.5% by 2010.

Functions

The smoking cessation team meet these aims and targets through:

• the provision of smoking cessation training to those involved in their daily practice with smokers and
• the provision of a wide range of smoking cessation clinics to meet the needs of all smokers in FVNHS.