Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust went Smokefree in January 2007. This means smoking and vaping is prohibited in all areas of Trust, including all buildings, doorways, grounds and car parks.
The purpose of the Smokefree Policy is to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of all patients, employees, visitors and contractors. Smoking puts patients at risk of complications and delays their recovery after hospital procedures. Smokefree hospitals and grounds create a Smokefree environment. This is helpful for people trying to stop smoking and also removes triggers that cause people to smoke or to relapse.
Stopping smoking is one of the best things people can do to improve their physical and mental health and wellbeing. Research shows that most people who come into hospital who smoke, want to stop.
But quitting on your own is hard. It’s hard because smoking is an addiction to the nicotine in tobacco – an addiction that often starts in childhood.
We now recognise that smoking is a chronic, relapsing medical condition not a lifestyle choice, which should be treated just like any other disease or illness. Fortunately, there are very effective treatments and, through the BTH Inpatient Smokefree Service, these will now be offered to you, along with stop smoking support, when you come into hospital.
We want you to feel comfortable while you are with us. We understand that many smokers are likely to feel uncomfortable in a non-smoking environment. Therefore, all patients who smoke will receive a visit from a Specialist Stop Smoking Practitioner who will carry out a smoking assessment and offer Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to help alleviate your nicotine cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Our Specialist Stop Smoking Practitioners will support you whilst in hospital and can offer a referral to our Community Stop Smoking Services for those who wish to continue their quit journey when they return home after being discharged.
On discharge, patients will receive one week’s supply of nicotine replacement therapy. Patients can be referred to either the Blackpool Tobacco Addiction Service (Blackpool residents) or Smokefree Lancashire (Fylde, Wyre and Lancashire residents) or to a local Pharmacy for stop smoking support in the community. Patients who set a quit date will receive up to 12-weeks support including Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and one-to-one support to increase their chances of quitting. Stop smoking services are required to report back to confirm your 28 day outcome if you set a quit date.
Everyone has their own reason to stop smoking. Stopping smoking is the best thing you can do to improve your overall health and boost your finances. There are many benefits associated with stopping smoking:
• Improve your mental wellbeing by reducing anxiety and discomfort caused by withdrawal symptoms
• Lower your risk of getting a long-term smoking-related disease (such as heart disease, cancer, COPD, high blood pressure and stroke)
• Have more money to spend on you and your family (on average a 20-a-day smoker spends more than £3,500 a year)
• Get health benefits shortly after stopping smoking (e.g. your blood pressure will show improvements after just 20 minutes smokefree)
You can get more information on the benefits of quitting smoking for you and those around you by visiting www.nhs.uk/betterhealth. It’s full of information you might need to make your quit attempt a success.
It’s never too late to stop smoking, even if you have a long-term condition, such as heart or lung disease.
Whist it isn’t possible to reverse the damage caused by smoking, you’ll gain numerous health benefits and feel better if you stop smoking.
If you’re over 35, the risk of developing a long-term smoking-related health condition increases. The good news is, the sooner you quit smoking, you will prevent the onset of diseases such as heart disease, stroke, etc
Within days of quitting smoking you’ll experience:
• A drop in heart rate
• Carbon monoxide and oxygen levels in blood return to normal (similar to those who’ve never smoked)
• Your sense of taste and smell improving
Within weeks you’ll benefit from:
• A reduction in the risk of sudden death from a heart attack
• Improvement in lung function
• Less coughing and shortness of breath
• Fewer severe asthma attacks
Within a few months you’ll experience:
• An improvement in symptoms of chronic bronchitis (phlegm, wheezing, shortness of breath)
• Less risk of ulcers
Benefits within a year of having quit include:
• Risks of coronary heart disease (CHD) cut by half
• An improvement in lung function among people with mild to moderate COPD
Giving up smoking could really change your life. Our Inpatient Smokefree Service can provide effective one-to-one stop smoking support. You will be asked about your smoking status when you are admitted to one of our wards. This is so we can help to keep you comfortable and get you the best support in order to help you quit smoking or reduce the harm from smoking during your stay with us.
