Louise Ross Stop Smoking Service Manager, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Leicester
Abstract
After years of successfully treating smokers with licensed products and behavioural support, it was alarming, in 2012-13, to see a sudden and dramatic fall in numbers accessing stop smoking services across England. It became evident that many smokers were turning to e-cigarettes as a way of changing their smoking behaviour.
Many stop smoking services, and colleagues in primary and secondary healthcare, and Public Health, were initially suspicious about these devices, and I could include myself in that group. However, I attended the 2013 London E-Cig Summit, and it became my turning-point. I have since worked with team members, vapers and other stakeholders to win support for giving smokers a choice to use what works for them.
The Leicester Stop Smoking Service developed a plan that would enable us to offer support to e-cig users, and which would also gather valuable information about longer-term success in going smokefree. We launched the scheme on No Smoking Day 2014 and became the first e-cig friendly stop smoking service.
I believe that user involvement is essential for understanding the appeal of these devices, which could hold the key to seeing an end to smoking combustible cigarettes in our lifetime.
Source of funding: My salary is paid by my organisation
