Stop Smoking Wales Workplace Tool Kit Suitable for Workplaces with over 50 employees Developed in partnership between Stop Smoking Wales and Healthy Working Wales.
Dear An estimated 34 million days a year are lost in England and Wales through sickness absence resulting from smoking-related illness. Stop Smoking Wales is a free NHS service that offers support to businesses in Wales to help address this. Stop Smoking Wales will: 1. Provide treatment clinics across Wales that employees can access for help to quit smoking appointments are available by calling: 0800 0852219 2. Provide a tool kit for use in the workplace that will show you how to: encourage and support staff that want to stop smoking advise staff where to go for help and support to quit organise a stop smoking campaign in the workplace arrange for Stop Smoking Wales to hold on site support sessions free of charge meet good practice guidance for workplaces recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). 3. Provide ongoing support when and as needed. Evidence shows that smokers are four times more likely to quit using Stop Smoking Wales than if they try and quit alone. Please take time to look through the enclosed pack; I hope that you find it a useful resource. The link below will help you work out the costs and savings that may arise by supporting your workforce to quit http://www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/11381/31973/31973.htm If you have any questions or would like additional information please contact: Email: Stop.smoking@wales.nhs.uk (quoting Workplace Smoking Toolkit ) Or telephone: 0800 085 2219
How to support employees who want to quit smoking Immediate help and support An employee can contact 0800 085 2219 to book an appointment with a stop smoking advisor in a venue organised by Stop Smoking Wales. Workplace support If your workplace has a minimum of 8 employees interested in stopping smoking then Stop Smoking Wales will be able to offer a programme of 7 free sessions within your workplace (please see course overview in appendix A). Please contact: 0800 085 2219 stating that you would like an adviser call back to arrange a workplace group. Once dates are agreed you will be asked to provide a private and comfortable room where your employees can receive support. Ongoing help and support For those who don t want to stop smoking at this time, organisations should provide opportunities, information and support on a regular basis as they may consider stopping smoking in the future. Training To support managers and occupational health practitioners to raise the issue of stopping smoking in a non-judgemental way, Stop Smoking Wales provide a free 3.5 hours Brief Intervention Training. Please visit www.stopsmokingwales.com for course dates. Corporate Health - Good Practice Develop a smoke free policy for your workplace (where possible work towards smoke free sites) Allow staff to attend stop smoking support during working hours without loss of pay Provide information on the local Stop Smoking Wales services and local Pharmacies that offers support to smokers that want to quit Participate in National No Smoking Day (2 nd Wednesday of every March) Participate in STOPTOBER (every October for the whole month) Raise awareness on World No Tobacco Day (31 st May 2014) Consider raising smoking as an issue during return to work interviews following a period if sickness absence. For businesses with Occupational Health Practitioners who provide stop smoking support within the workplace it is recommended they are trained to the standards implemented by the National Centre for Smoking Cessation Training (NCSCT).
Health Benefits of Stopping Smoking 24 Hours Carbon monoxide will be eliminated from the body. Lungs start to clear out mucus and other smoking debris. 48 Hours There is no nicotine left in the body. Ability to taste and smell is greatly improved. 72 Hours Breathing becomes easier. Bronchial tubes begin to relax and energy levels increase. 1 Year Risk of heart attack falls to about half of that of a smoker 2
How to organise a no smoking campaign or promotional event. Identify staff who can help plan and deliver the campaign within the workplace the movers and shakers. Generate interest and enthusiasm beforehand by using your internal communications such as newsletters, intranet, team meetings, and screensaver message. Organise / order your promotional materials well in advance. Check out the Health Promotion Library for free leaflets and posters or contact Stop Smoking Wales on 0800 085 2219. You can order or download resources for No Smoking Day which is held on the second Wednesday in March every year. Decide what your campaign will consist of: a stand with leaflets, balloons, and posters etc; a poster campaign; a competition; a workplace challenge or quiz (Appendix B quiz and answer sheet) Make any displays colourful and eye-catching and position in a place where staff have the time to stop and look, such as canteens, staff rooms, entrance foyer and rest areas. Place posters in places where staff might read them behind toilet doors; by vending machines; in lifts. Ask those that have quit to tell their story in a workplace newsletter what they did, what support they received and how it felt to succeed. Encourage those that have quit to support the campaign so that they can share their experience with others. Organise a workplace challenge by taking part in and supporting STOPTOBER, or organise a smoking quiz with prizes for the winning team. Involve your local media to let them know of good news stories and use in-house communications tools to promote the activities. Celebrate successful quitters. Visit: www.stopsmokingwales.com 3
Stop Smoking Wales Resource To order these resources please call 0800 085 2219 or email stop.smoking@wales.nhs.uk. Please state name of leaflet / poster and quantity required. Items Business style referral cards Service leaflet A4 and A3 Size Posters Pre op leaflet Pre- op poster Maternity leaflet 4
Useful Contacts: Service Contact Name Contact Details To order Stop Smoking Wales resources (leaflets, cards and posters) Stop Smoking Wales 0800 085 2219 Stop.smoking@wales.nhs.uk To order resources: I Quit booklet Mouth Cancer Protecting babies from second hand smoke. Information and downloadable material. Obtaining No Smoking Day resources (2 nd Wed every March) Becoming a STOPTOBER supporter (every October for the whole month) Corporate Workplace Health Practitioners: Support to achieve the CHS award and SWHA Health Events Stop Smoking Wales are available to attend your health event Interested in attending brief intervention training Health Promotion Library ASH Admin Stop Smoking Wales Stop Smoking Wales 0845 606 4050 Email hplibrary@wales.nhs.uk. www.ash.org.uk www.nosmokingday.org.uk www.smokefree.nhs.uk/stoptober workplacehealth@wales.nhs.uk 0845 609 6006 0800 085 2219 Stop.smoking@wales.nhs.uk www.stopsmokingwales.com/briefintervention-training Social media facebook.com/dimsmygucymru facebook.com/stopsmokingwales @dimsmygucymru Healthy Working Wales A range of free help and support for businesses in Wales @stopsmokingw www.healthyworkingwales.co.uk 5
Appendix A Support Sessions - Overview What support can Stop Smoking Wales offer? Stop Smoking Wales is a free NHS service which provides local and friendly support for smokers who are ready to quit. The Stop Smoking Wales support programme consists of an assessment session, followed by six consecutive weekly behavioural support sessions. An outline of what will be covered in each session is given below. Assessment session The assessment session will involve a welcome to the course, setting of ground rules and will confirm your commitment to the course. The benefits of quitting with Stop Smoking Wales will be highlighted and the importance of intensive behavioural support. Information on nicotine replacement therapy (e.g. patches and gum) and other treatment aids is provided. These are available on prescription from your GP to help you quit. Carbon monoxide monitoring will be introduced as a motivational tool and a way of monitoring progress. Session 1 Session 1 will encourage the members to discuss their feelings about quitting smoking and reinforce the benefits of quitting with Stop Smoking Wales. This session will help to prepare you to quit smoking, looking at withdrawal and coping mechanisms in preparation, followed by carbon monoxide testing. Session 2 5 By session 2 you will have quit smoking. During sessions 2 to 5, there will be an opportunity to discuss withdrawal symptoms, ways to cope with difficult situations, maintaining motivation to quit smoking, stop smoking aids and carbon monoxide testing. Session 6 Relapse prevention is the focus of session 6, emphasising the progress you have made over the 6 weeks and how to remain smoke-free in the future. Carbon monoxide levels will be monitored. 6
Appendix B Smoking Quiz 1. How many million adults smoke in the UK? a) 5 million b) 7.5 million c) 10 million 2. How many smokers die from smoking related causes each year in Wales? a) 1,200 b) 5,650 c) 10,060 3. How many working days are lost in England and Wales through sickness caused by smoking? a) 22 million days b) 29 million days c) 34 millions days 4. How much would a 20 a day smoker spend each year on cigarettes? a) 1,200 b) 1,400 c) 2,700 5. What percentage of the adult population in Wales smoke? a) 23% b) 32% c) 35% 6. Smoking is highest amongst which age group? a) 16-24 b) 25-34 c) 35-50 7. What date did Wales introduce smoke free legislation? 8. Approximately, how many chemicals can be found in tobacco smoke? a) 400 b) 40 c) 4,000 9. Which substance in cigarettes makes them addictive? a) Carbon Monoxide b) Nicotine c) Tar 10. How many smokers in the UK say they would like to stop smoking? a) 23% b) 50% c) 67% 7
QUIZ ANSWERS 1. How many million adults smoke in the UK? 10 million adults smoke cigarettes in the UK, this is about a sixth of the whole population. 2. How many smokers die from smoking related causes each year in Wales? Around 5,650 smokers will die in Wales from smoking related causes. About half of all regular cigarette smokers will eventually be killed by their addiction. 3. How many working days are lost in England and Wales through sickness caused by smoking? Each year about 34 million days are lost in England and Wales through sickness absence caused by smoking. 4. How much would a 20 a day smoker spend each year on cigarettes? A 20 a day smoker would spend approximately 2,700 a year on cigarettes (based on 7.47 per pack, 2012) 5. What percentage of the adult population in Wales smoke? 23% of adults smoke in Wales but this is declining. 6. Smoking is highest amongst which age group? Smoking is highest among 25-34 year olds, declines in smoking have been concentrated in older people. However, about half of all adults report that they have never smoked. 7. What date did Wales introduce Smoke free legislation? 2 nd April 2007. 8. Approximately, how many chemicals can be found in tobacco smoke? Over 4,000 chemical compounds, present as wither gases or as tiny particles. These include carbon monoxide, arsenic, formaldehyde, cyanide, benzene, toluene and acrolein. 9. Which substance in cigarettes makes them addictive? Nicotine is a very power drug. The cigarette is a perfect carrier it is absorbed very quickly, reaching the brain within 7 10 seconds. 10. How many smokers in the UK say they would like to stop smoking? Surveys show that about 67% of current smokers would like to give up altogether. Facts from www.ash.org and the Welsh Health Survey 2011 8