THURSDAY, 31 MAY, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: PHOTO ATTACHED – DR TOM FARDON AND HEALTH PROMOTION OFFICER BLAIR FINLAY WITH QUIT YOUR WAY POSTER

Quit Your Way Tayside - How smoking can impact on your medical treatment

To mark the launch of new Quit Your Way posters on NHS Tayside sites, people are being encouraged to be aware of the impact that smoking can have on their medical treatment.

New posters have been displayed across sites in Angus, Dundee and Perth & Kinross to raise awareness of NHS Tayside’s No Smoking Policy.

The ‘Quit Your Way – with our support’ posters were created after research by Health Scotland found smoking cessation services should have one national identity to encourage more people to seek support to quit smoking.

NHS Tayside’s Smoke Free Services is now known as Quit Your Way Tayside, in line with smoking cessation services across Scotland.

NHS Tayside operates a strict no smoking policy and asks staff, patients and visitors to respect the policy by not smoking on NHS Tayside premises or grounds. Only one in five people now smoke and NHS Tayside’s policy aims to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of the people using its services.

Respiratory consultant Dr Tom Fardon said he would encourage people to follow NHS Tayside’s No Smoking Policy and access NHS Tayside’s Quit Your Way services to seek support to quit smoking.

He added, “On top of the significant long-term benefits, giving up smoking will also mean that your medical treatment could be more effective. NHS Tayside’s smoking policy aims to protect patients from inhaling smoke. Unfortunately when people do not adhere to this policy, they often smoke near entrances and windows and patients are being exposed to some of the second-hand smoke.”

Although the health risks of smoking are well known, many people are less aware that continuing to smoke during treatment may mean medication is less effective.

Dr Fardon added, “There are obviously massive long-term health benefits to giving up smoking as it reduces your risk of developing heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, COPD, lung cancer and many other cancers.

“What people may not be aware of is that many of the medicines we use to treat illness may not be as effective if the patent smokes. This is also likely to be true for second-hand smoke.

“For respiratory illness, there are new advances in medicine that are very effective for treatment, including inhaled steroids for asthma conditions, but they simply do not work as well for patients who continue to smoke.

“People can get support to stop smoking while being treated at the hospital and for many it is the start of their journey to quit smoking for good. Many people who come into hospital use it as an opportunity to change their habits and become a non-smoker.

“People find it difficult to single out a reason to quit but coming into hospital can be a trigger point in their lives. We can provide support during inpatient stays, offering them Nicotine Replacement Therapy and medications proven to increase quit rates.”

NHS Tayside’s smoking policy now allows the use of e-cigarettes on NHS Tayside grounds but they remain prohibited in buildings and enclosed spaces.

Later this year, the Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc And Care) (Scotland) Act 2016 will make it illegal to smoke within 15 metres of a hospital building. Anyone breaking this law will be liable to receive a fixed penalty notice which can be issued by enforcement officers employed by the Local Authority. Guidance about the new law will be issued by the Scottish Government, including the responsibilities of NHS and Local Authorities and how they will work in partnership to enforce it.

NHS Tayside’s Quit Your Way services provide smoking cessation services and information about support available to NHS staff, patients and members of the public, including the availability of Nicotine Replacement Therapy. Help is also in place for patients that smoke to help them remain smoke free while in hospital.

Giving up smoking is the single most important lifestyle decision that anyone can make to improve their health immediately. Anyone who wants to stop smoking can visit any local community pharmacy or call Quit Your Way on 01382 424127 to find out about all the ways NHS Tayside can help support people to become smoke free.

Anyone wishing to find out more about the free ‘Quit Smoking in 12 weeks’ programme which offers support and free products can also follow our Facebook page at

www.facebook.com/nhstaysidequityourway

Health benefits to quitting smoking

• 20 minutes after quitting your blood pressure and pulse return to normal

• 48 hours - no nicotine is left in your body. Your senses of taste and smell are greatly improved

• 72 hours - your breathing becomes easier and your energy levels increase

• 2-12 weeks after quitting smoking your circulation improves and exercise can be easier

• 3-9 months - any coughs, wheezing and breathing problems improve

• Within one year the risk of heart attack is halved

• Within 10 years the risk of lung cancer is halved and the risk of heart attack is at the same level as

non-smokers

• Medium to long term – stopping smoking at any age increases your life expectancy, provided you stop

before the onset of serious disease. Even if you have developed a disease, you can benefit from

stopping as your body will be under less strain and be able to fight it more easily.

Smoking causes the premature deaths of 13,000 people in Scotland every year and causes 56,000 hospital admissions. It is the single largest preventable cause of ill health and mortality.

‘Second-hand’ smoke or passive smoking is a significant health risk to non-smokers. Passive smoking is calculated to cause:

• Nearly 1 in 10 of all deaths due to stroke

• Nearly 1 in 20 of all deaths due to asthma

• More than 1 in 30 of all deaths due to heart disease

• More than 1 in 25 of all lung cancers

Contact:

Debbie Huband

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740134