Leena Sankla Director of Public Health & Life Style Services, Solutions 4 Health, Reading
Saleen Ahmed-Khan Berkshire Health Improvement Manager, Solutions4Health, Reading
Abstract
Smoking rates amongst people with a mental health disorder are significantly higher than in the general population and there is growing evidence to show a strong association between smoking and mental health disorders. it is estimated that of the 10 million smokers in the UK about 3 million have a mental disorder.
Solutions 4 Health’s Smokefreelife Berkshire service worked in partnership with Berkshire Health Foundation Trust become Smoke Free across all their sites from 2015. This was implemented in three phases over a period of a year: to support staff, outpatients and visitors and then in-patients in a mental health setting.
The service delivery included: setting up a referral pathway for professionals, providing 3,000 NHS staff access to an online training package: Youquitcare to successfully intervene with very brief advice. The Advisor in hospital settings provides motivational support for inpatients and plans continuation of this support and NRT for them in the community through CMHTs. As part of the programme S4H provides Yoga sessions to help patients to exercise both their body and mind through hourly structured sessions. From April 2015 to December 2015 there are 670 (4) week quitters in Berkshire
Source of funding: Local Authority commissioned service.
