Sustaining effective tobacco control and NHS stop smoking services must remain a top priority for World Class Commissioning (WCC)

Authors:
Andrea Dickens, Juniper Connal and Linda Bauld

Presenters
Juniper Connal
Regional Development Manager

Andrea Dickens
Head of Policy, Innovation and Development, Smokefree South West, Bristol, UK

Abstract
Tobacco use remains the number one preventable cause of premature mortality and morbidity in the UK. Population smoking prevalence has been reducing but international experience, for example in California and Ireland, shows that unless quality tobacco control measures continue to be commissioned, this downward trend could be halted or reversed. Sustaining effective Tobacco Control and NHS Stop Smoking Services must remain a top priority for World Class Commissioning. Public Health leads are now being tasked with commissioning responsibilities, but do public health skills translate to commissioning skills?

Smokefree South West, in partnership with the new NHS Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training, undertook a needs assessment with commissioners with responsibility for tobacco control across the South West region. Gaps in knowledge and skills in applying WCC principles to commissioning tobacco control and smoking cessation were identified. The results informed development and delivery of an interactive Commissioners Workshop.

Key outcomes included; increased knowledge of the evidence base, greater awareness of potential barriers and collective exploration of solutions. Support to apply wider public health WCC indicators to commissioning high quality tobacco control interventions were tested with a view to embedding best practice in commissioning for sustainable long-term tobacco control interventions.

Source of funding: Smokefree South West

Declaration of interest: none