Sheffield stop smoking service backs launch of new quit kits
Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service is supporting the launch of the new NHS Quit Kit to help some of the 8 million people in England who smoke.
The Sheffield service, which is run by South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, has a large number of fully trained stop smoking advisers that offer free advice and support for people who want to quit.
As well as the services they offer the team welcome the launch of a new Quit Kit as an additional way for people to give up the habit for good.
The NHS Quit Kit has been developed by experts together with smokers and ex-smokers and contains practical tools and advice to help smokers quit smoking for good.
Items include a health/wealth wheel which helps quitters calculate how much they are saving and the improvements they’ll see to their health; MP3 downloads which are scientifically proven to reduce cravings and a ‘tangle’ toy to help keep hands busy. The Quit Kit also contains information on other free quitting help such as local stop smoking services, plus smokers can sign up to get new motivational text messages straight to their mobile phone.
The Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service will be encouraging quitters who use their service to also pick up a free kit from their local pharmacy as another way of supporting them on their road to quitting.
Research by NHS Smokefree suggests that many smokers are not stopping smoking because of misconceptions they have about quitting, with over a third saying that they feel too stressed to try to quit (33%). The same amount are not quitting because they don’t feel they have the willpower required (33%) or are not quitting because they tried before and failed (35%).
However in reality, research shows that smoking causes more stress and anxiety than not smoking and that quitting can help to reduce stress. Results also show that you can increase your chances of quitting successfully by using the help of a local NHS stop smoking service and willpower can be boosted with simple exercises available in the new and improved Quit Kit.
Claire Holden, the service manager at the Sheffield Stop Smoking Service said, "Stopping smoking is the one of the most effective ways of improving your health and free help is available to help you quit. You can increase your chances of success considerably by getting support from your local stop smoking service, and by ordering a free Quit Kit via local pharmacies you get access to additional helpful tools and advice."
To find your nearest Quit Kit pharmacy stockist text SEARCH and your postcode to 88088 or search online at nhs.uk/smokefree
For advice and support on stopping smoking, contact the NHS Sheffield Stop Smoking Service helpline free on 0800 068 4490, visit our website on www.sheffieldstopsmoking.org.uk or call into the Quit-Stop – our city centre drop in service at 39 Charles Street, just off Pinstone Street.