Services Database Smoking Cessation (Trafford Area)

Pharmacies providing smoking cessation therapies to smokers will ensure compliance with the agreed Level 2 specialist support programme and aim to improve the numbers of people quitting smoking by providing a good level 2 support service. This is detailed below:
Level 1
The Level 1 service comprises Brief Intervention or (opportunistic advice) which can be delivered in a confidential space when the opportunity presents itself. The Specialist Stop Smoking Service provides training for Level 1 advisors. The Level 1 service consists of:

• offering brief, or very brief, advice to all smokers; and
• referring those who are ready to quit to a Level 2 Stop Smoking Advisor – which may be in the pharmacy or another pharmacy.

Brief intervention is considered to be part of normal care. It is not funded separately.
Level 2
The Level 2 (intermediate) service comprises the provision of behavioural support by trained and registered Stop Smoking Advisors together with pharmacotherapy where indicated.
Whenever possible and where appropriate, pharmacy service providers should facilitate onward referral to specialist treatment services.
Pharmacists or other appropriately trained staff should provide direct input wherever possible to promote their smoking cessation service.
Advice and support must take place in a private or quiet area of the pharmacy. There will be a requirement to share relevant information with all professionals involved in the treatment of individuals – this within the bounds of pharmacists professional confidentiality guidelines.
Vouchers issued by Specialist Advisers and other Intermediate Advisers such as School Nurses and Phoenix Futures (blue voucher) may be presented to any of the pharmacies commissioned by the local authority to provide smoking cessation advice and nicotine replacement therapy.

As a minimum staff should receive awareness training on the importance of quitting smoking to health, differing NRT products and general health promotion advice.
All Stop Smoking Advisors need to receive specific training to carry out their role, which should conform to the training standards and competencies set out by the NHS Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT). Advisors are able to demonstrate a basic level of competence by achieving stage 1 certification from the NCSCT.