Smokers undergoing surgery encouraged to ‘stop before your op’

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NHS stop smoking service Yorkshire Smokefree is teaming up with local partners in Calderdale to encourage smokers facing surgery to ‘stop before your op’.

Yorkshire Smokefree in Calderdale is working with Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust to support people undergoing an operation at Calderdale Royal Hospital to quit in order to reduce the time they spend recovering.

Smoking greatly increases the risk of complications during treatment and surgery, including needing a higher dose of anaesthetics, a higher risk of chest infection after surgery, spending more time in the recovery room, and needing more oxygen.

Quitting smoking before an operation brings a wealth of health benefits, which include needing less anaesthetic, wounds healing quicker, and a lower risk of dangerous blood clots following surgery.

Yorkshire Smokefree, which is run by South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, offers smokers the opportunity to ‘pick and mix’ their support in order to increase their chances of successfully quitting.

The service has already helped thousands of people across the region to quit by offering telephone support from qualified advisors during extended opening hours, face to face support in convenient community locations, and interactive online support through the service’s online quit programme.

Andrea Cadwell, service manager of Yorkshire Smokefree in Calderdale, said: “It’s always a good time to quit smoking, but it’s especially beneficial to give up if you’re about to undergo surgery. Stopping smoking weeks, or even months, before an operation will be the best for your recovery, but the health benefits of quitting smoking begin to show after just two days, so it’s never too late to stop.

“Stopping smoking can be hard, but our friendly and qualified advisors are available on the phone, in person, or you can even sign up for support online using our website’s quit programme. Get in touch and we’ll find a way to help you stop before your op.”

To find out more about Yorkshire Smokefree, visit www.yorkshiresmokefree.nhs.uk or call 0800 6120011 (free from landlines) or 0330 6601166 (free from most mobiles).

Smokers undergoing surgery encouraged to ‘stop before your op’

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