Patients with heart complications and respiratory conditions are being offered life-saving support at the Royal Derby Hospital to help them quit smoking.
Derby Teaching Hospitals is working closely with Livewell to ensure those admitted to hospital after a cardiac event are offered smoking cessation advice.
Much-needed support is now being given to patients on the Trust’s cardiac wards, following a successful pilot scheme run throughout last year aimed at those admitted to the Royal Derby Hospital’s respiratory wards.
Around one in six cardiac admissions to hospital are due to smoking, with studies showing that receiving smoking cessation advice after being admitted to hospital can improve patients’ chances of giving up cigarettes.
Derby Teaching Hospitals Consultant Respiratory Physician, Dr John Anderson, said: “As a respiratory consultant, I regularly see patients whose health would significantly improve if they were able to stop smoking. I am delighted that we have been able to work in partnership with Livewell to deliver two specific stop smoking programmes, which the patient can access when they are admitted into hospital. In addition to these programmes, we are committed to supporting all patients, visitors and staff to make positive lifestyle choices, which we deliver through our Making Every Contact Count programme.”
As part of the scheme, the Trust is also supporting patients that smoke during their discharge from hospital, in order to reduce their likelihood of readmission.
Around 17.8% of adults in Derby smoke, with more people dying or being admitted to hospital as a result of this than the national average.
Derby businesses also lose around 50,000 days per year, costing an estimated £4.6 million in lost productivity, as a result of smoking, while the estimated cost of smoking to society in Derby is a staggering £74.3 million a year.
Derby City Council Cabinet Member for Integrated Health and Care, Martin Repton, said: “I’m delighted that we are working with the Royal Derby Hospital on such a fantastic initiative. The Livewell team are working hard to ensure the people of Derby have every chance to give up smoking and stay smoke free.”
Quitting smoking has been shown to reduce the need for re-hospitalisation following an episode of Acute Coronary Syndrome, as well as reducing the risk of restenosis following angioplasty.
Find out more about Livewell's stop smoking services here.