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Challenges and opportunities in supporting smokers to stop
Nicky Willis, Team Leader, Supporting Smokers to Stop, Tobacco Policy Team, Department of Health
Abstract
The opportunity currently exists for stop smoking services in the UK to maximise the impact of smokefree legislation and build on the network's record of success. New delivery models that improve reach and efficacy are being trialled in many areas and have the potential to take the services to a new level but we need to address data quality and consistency issues in order to achieve this goal and safeguard the future of this unique, life-saving service.
The Healthcare Commission Report on Tobacco Control emphasised the wide variation in data collection and data management practice across the network and identified this as a real area for concern. If we cannot compare service performance on a level playing field then we cannot identify and share best practice for the good of the network as a whole, nor can we have confidence in the integrity of the data we produce.
In 2007/08 a number of projects are underway that are designed to address these challenges, including the work of the National Support Team for Tobacco, forthcoming NICE programme guidance on smoking cessation and the revision of the Service Monitoring Guidance for stop smoking services. These initiatives will help services to serve the needs of local populations appropriately, whilst maintaining high clinical and management standards. They will help commissioners to make informed decisions about service structure, appropriate resourcing and the outcomes they can realistically expect based on the evidence.
National mass media campaigns are stimulating more quit attempts and smokefree legislation will help to change public attitudes to smoking. Now, more than ever, services need to cement strong local partnerships and work with the national campaign team to promote the most effective stop smoking interventions to the public.
The challenges we face are very real and we work in a highly dynamic area, this means that we may have to adapt in order to evolve and progress but the opportunity to make a unique contribution at national and international level is also very real and should be grasped.
Biography
Nicky Willis began her career in Health Promotion in Canterbury, Kent and quickly became interested in the subject of smoking cessation. She established the first community cessation service in Kent in 1993 and went on to complete an MSc in the Psychiatry of Addictive Behaviour at St George's Hospital Medical School. She then worked on clinical research trials investigating smoking cessation treatments at St George's with Professor Robert West and at The Institute of Psychiatry under Professor Mike Russell.
In 1999, Nicky set up STOP! Magazine, a self-help magazine for smokers wanting to quit in the UK and USA. The magazine ran for 3 years, during which time she was responsible for producing 76 editions and also authored a number of books on the subject for smokers and health professionals. From 2003 to 2006, Nicky was involved in the set-up and management of two stop smoking services in Kent and she is currently working as the Team Leader for Smoker's Support at the Tobacco Policy Team in the Deaprtment of Health.
Nicky Willis
Team Leader - Supporting Smokers to Stop - Tobacco Policy Team, Department of Health
Rm 702, Wellington House
133-155 Waterloo Road
London
SE1 8UG
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