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Providing immediate support through pharmacy stop smoking services following face to face events
Vishnee Sauntoo, Marketing Director, No Smoking Day, London, UK
Abstract
No Smoking Day, the charity, was commissioned to provide 15 face to face events across London to promote No Smoking Day and recruit quitters straight into NHS Stop Smoking Services provided by local pharmacists. The principal aim of the events was to assess Robert West’s PRIME theory which suggests that once a smoker has decided to stop smoking they need to get advice immediately to maintain the desire to quit.
Fifteen events were carried out within eight PCTs in supermarkets, shopping centres and stand-alone pharmacies. Three recruiters provided information during a six hour period with highest foot fall. The pharmacist (level 2 trained) provided NRT and support for the client attending weekly appointments at the same venue.
Events carried out between February and March 2009 generated 400 referrals; 15% had immediate appointments with the pharmacist on the day/week, the reminder were contacted by the local NHS Stop Smoking Service.
These events are a successful method of recruiting smokers to services and raising awareness of other help available in the local area. Immediate appointments yield very high rates of success because of the convenience of location and times of appointments and catch smokers in the mood to quit.
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About the presenter
Vishnee Sauntoo is the No Smoking Day Marketing Director; a new post created to look at the future of the campaign. She joined No Smoking Day as Campaign Manager in January 2007 and has a background in Science Communication & Biotechnology.
Prior to No Smoking Day, Vishnee managed media relations for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and before that worked in the sexual health field.
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