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Recruiting smokers into treatment
pre-operatively
Gary Bickerstaffe
Powerpoint
Presentation
Abstract
Surgery often presents an excellent opportunity for smokers
to assess their desire to quit. The patient also has increased
access to healthcare teams who are offering health advice.
Evidence suggests that the optimum time for pre-op smoking
cessation is 6-8weeks¹. Though cessation at any time
up to and even after surgery is known to bring benefit.
In order to maximise the potential for smokers to make
a quit attempt during a surgical episode, the pre-operative
assessment department at Royal Bolton Hospital has successfully
developed a pre-op smoking cessation referral scheme in
partnership with Bolton PCT's Smoking Cessation Service.
A selection of pre-op nurses have received Brief Intervention
training so that they can offer appropriate advice on
stopping smoking, and to make a referral to specialist
services if required. All smokers attending for pre-op
assessment are identified and given a Brief Intervention*.
A percentage of these patients are referred to specialist
services with their agreement. They are then contacted
by the smoking cessation service to discuss their quit
attempt in advance of their surgery.
With the help of a sticker system, designed & developed
between the two trusts, smoking details and the intervention
are recorded. The stickers are placed with regard to data
protection and confidentiality guidelines on the inside
of the patient notes cover, with a wrap-over tag to alert
reviewers of notes about actions taken to identify &
address smoking.
Enthusiasm for smoking cessation is high in secondary
care. There has been a great deal of smoking cessation
activity since the onset of the scheme. Pre-op referrals
to smoking cessation, account for the majority of referrals
to date.
* Brief Intervention - Using 4 A's: Ask, Advise, Assist,
Arrange to identify smokers and give basic information
on what help is available to help them stop and if appropriate
refer them to specialist services.
Smoking Cessation Service
Lever Chambers Health Centre
Ashburner Street
Bolton, BL1 1SQ
gary.bickerstaffe@bolton.nhs.uk
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