The GNTH network, commonly called the Global Network, is an independent, international, non-profit association that was formed to facilitate action on tobacco within healthcare services.
The Global Network’s mission is to advocate, recruit and enable healthcare services and professionals globally to implement and sustain effective tobacco management and cessation policies in accordance with the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (FCTC).
Through a systematic approach based on a framework of eight Standards, the Global Network supports individual member healthcare services and networks to integrate comprehensive action on tobacco and provide evidence-based care to all tobacco users. The recent self-audit, completed by sites applying for the HSE Tobacco Free Campus Quality Improvement bursary process, was based on the above standards.
The network members were invited to the recent Bursary awards ceremony on 1st June 2023 and, on the 2nd June, the Networks General assembly was hosted by the Tobacco Free Ireland Programme in Dr Steevens’s board room, where the meeting was beamed across the world to network members from Sweden, Taiwan, Spain, France, Germany and Australia among others. The co-chairs of the network who attended in person, Laura Gomez from Catalonia Spain and Susann Koalick from Switzerland, were then invited to visit a good example of best practice in terms of tobacco management in Ireland. This allowed an opportunity for the guests to view an Irish example of tobacco free campus implementation within a complex site.
Grangegormon Primary Care Centre, which hosts a range of different services including GP, dental services, dietetic services, speech and language, drug and alcohol treatment services etc. as well as stop smoking service, was selected. In addition to the site visit, the team also met with service users who shared their experience of attending the local stop smoking service and the enormous benefit of receiving one to one support was in supporting them to quit smoking. One of the clients, Mary Byrne, was 82 years young and had quit smoking 7 months ago to help manage her COPD. She was so delighted to have finally quit smoking and her breathing and energy has greatly improved following the help and support of Susan Mac Nicholas, the local stop smoking advisor. Susan met with her weekly for her first month of quitting and checked in with her regularly to support her through the process using a caring, non-judgemental and supportive approach.
The Tobacco team were very grateful to the site and staff for facilitating this visit.
