Research update: Recent studies of clinical significance
Update RequiredTo play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.
Presenter(s)
Professor Robert West Professor of Health Psychology and Director of Tobacco Studies, Cancer Research UK Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London and UKCTCS
Abstract
The UK Stop Smoking Services continue to lead the world in terms of providing universal coverage of face-to-face behavioural support and medication to help smokers to stop. Changes to the NHS increase the imperative a) to demonstrate that high quality stop-smoking services are an essential part of local public health provision, b) to establish how best to configure the services to ensure maximum impact, and c) to establish clear guidelines for commissioners on audit and evaluation of services to ensure that only high quality providers are allowed to deliver them.
This presentation will review recent studies relating to these questions. It will address misconceptions that have been promulgated about treatment effectiveness following some high-profile studies in the UK and the US. It will present new findings on the impact of the English Stop-Smoking Services. It will outline the findings of new studies showing what makes for an effective Stop-Smoking Service, and differences in effectiveness between practitioners. Finally it will review recent articles on ‘payment by results’ and identify minimum criteria that would-be service providers must adhere to.
Declaration of interest: Robert West undertakes research and consultancy and receives fees for speaking from companies that develop and manufacture smoking cessation medications. He also has a share of a patent for a novel nicotine delivery device. His funding is primarily from Cancer Research UK and the Department of Health.
