Managing the smokefree policy in West London Mental Health Trust
Alex Higgins, Smokefree Trainer/Consultant, Smokefree Solutions, London, UK and Irene Pachawo, Trust Smoke Free Advisor, West London Mental Health Trust, UK

Abstract
This poster presents a new approach to managing the smokefree policy that recognises compliance with the policy as the challenging and necessary goal, and moves beyond offering smoking cessation / reduction support as the solution. A comprehensive piece of qualitative research, involving staff and patients (overviewed here), provided information to senior management as to how the policy was being managed, and suggested the steps needed in order to increase compliance. We are now supporting the development of local service directorate implementation strategies, working at all levels to encourage the wider MDT to take responsibility for compliance, with the understanding that it should be treated as part of patient care and progression, and working at ward level to embed discussions about self and group-management of compliance within community meetings. Our staff training has been well received and focuses on managing withdrawal with NRT whenever reduction is necessary, talking with patients about where and when they can smoke, and taking the opportunity for brief intervention using CO monitoring if and when patients are well enough. An evaluation of the effectiveness of this approach will be submitted for presentation at next year’s UKNSCC.