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Poster presentation
Developing a prison based smoking cessation service
Melody McGrillis
Abstract
Roy Castle Fag Ends Community Stop Smoking Group have
been involved in the provision of stop smoking support
for inmates within HMP Altcourse and HMP Liverpool for
several years. When the local Health Authority took a
decision not to proceed with their original plans to offer
support within the prisons Roy Castle Fag Ends were approached
because they were known for providing smoking cessation
support. The Project Manager was asked for guidance about
what the prisons could do next to ensure that support
was provided for their inmates.
The prison service now runs up to 4 groups each week
in both HMP Altcourse and HMP Liverpool. Groups last for
12 weeks with 10 to 15 inmates on each course. Prisoners
are able to access to the Fag Ends free-phone telephone
helpline.
Figures currently available demonstrate that at 4 weeks
34% of inmates attending the groups remain quit, 30% have
relapsed and 36% are lost to follow up (usually due to
being released from custody or moved to a different prison).
The success of this service has resulted in a request
to help set up a service in HMP Kirkham.
Challenges encountered are:
- The number of inmates on a waiting list and how soon
they can access the next course.
- The number of inmates lost to follow up.
- Continuity of support given to prisoners if they are
transferred to another prison. Currently if an inmate
that
has just quit is transferred to a prison where Roy Castle
Fag Ends are providing a smoking cessation service,
they are automatically given a place on the group for
continued support. If an inmate is transferred to another
prison, they are given one week's NRT to take with them.
The presentation will include details of course structure
and identify the key issues that need to be addressed
when setting up such a service.
Melody McGrillis
The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation,
200 London Road Liverpool L3 9TA
Tel: 0151 261 0202
mcrillism@roycastle.liv.ac.uk
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