The National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) Department of Health launched Ireland’s first National Stop Smoking Clinical Guidelines in January 2022. For the first time in Ireland, we now have clear and comprehensive guidance on what good stop smoking care looks like. In addition to describing good stop smoking care for the general public who use our primary care, community and hospital services.
The recent Healthy Ireland survey reported that 18% of our adult population continue to smoke and each year, almost 6,000 people die as a result of their smoking. The good news is that the harm caused by smoking is preventable, and we also know that the majority of smokers want to quit.
Dr Paul Kavanagh, Public Health Medicine Specialist, HSE said:
“Smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability and premature death in Ireland. People who smoke are worried about the impact it has on their lives and their loved ones. Most want to stop smoking but too many try to stop without support. Yet there are three simple but powerful steps which every healthcare professionals can take to maximise the chance that someone who smokes can successful stop – asking about smoking, offering advice to stop and providing practical support through arranging referral to a stop smoking advisor and stop smoking medicines. We look forward to working with healthcare professionals and the public to implement these guidelines in day-to-day practice across the health services and working with them towards a Tobacco Free Ireland.”
Martina Blake, National Lead, HSE Tobacco Free Ireland Programme, said:
“Now is a great time to make changes that can benefit your health long-term. Most people who smoke want to quit, but for many, the idea of quitting can seem like a difficult thing to embark upon. It’s important to remember that you don’t have to quit alone. The HSE Quit Service is here to help those who smoke by providing the tools and supports to make it possible. The most important part of quitting is preparing for quitting and getting your head into the right space. Our qualified staff can help anyone wishing to quit to weigh up the pros and cons, set a date that’s right for them and decide which medication is suitable to help them succeed. As part of a staff health and wellbeing programme for health service staff we have free medication to support their quit attempt and in some new slainte care services we also have free medication for anyone accessing a service”.
The guidelines define best practice for care of people who smoke in the general adult population, as well as providing a special focus on helping women who are pregnant and users of secondary mental health services quit. They recommend that healthcare professionals across our health services routinely ASK people about their smoking, ADVISE them to stop and provide or ARRANGE safe and effective support. These simple but powerful steps which when delivered routinely in care can increase the chance that someone will quit and remain smoke-free by 2 to 3 fold.
The guidelines set out the recommended behavioural and pharmacological supports that can be arranged to help people who smoke quit.
How can healthcare professionals help people to stop smoking?
- Ask about smoking status at every consultation
- Advise on the best way to quit which is using medication and our intensive service which provides behavioural support
- Act by recommending or prescribing stop smoking medication and referring to QUIT
Healthcare professionals can refer to local stop smoking advisors for behavioural support. Trained stop smoking advisors can assess a client’s nicotine dependence and advise on which options suit best as well as working with the client over a 12 month period to support the behavioural elements of smoking cessation, examining in detail the clients psychological and emotional dependence and working with them to overcome this.
Healthcare professionals (excluding GPs & pharmacists who can make electronic referrals to the QUIT service – see links below) can make a referral to QUIT services by completing this referral form and either emailing the completed form to [email protected] or by emailing it to a local service, details of which are available HERE.