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Suffolk NHS Stop Smoking Services Help Thousands Quit Smoking

Oct. 01, 2009

MORE than 22,000 people in the county have quit smoking in the last decade after support from NHS Suffolk, figures reveal today. Suffolk NHS Stop Smoking Services celebrates its ten-year anniversary this month and over that time, the number of people smoking in Suffolk has plummeted. Smoking prevalence among the general population has dropped from 26pc to below 17pc.

In 2008/09, over 3,800 people quit smoking in Suffolk. To celebrate the anniversary, there will be awards given to recognise the work being done by Stop Smoking Service advisors across the East of England region.

Among those nominated is Hilary Andrews, service manager for Suffolk NHS Stop Smoking Services. She founded the Ipswich-based service because she felt moved to create something which helped save lives. Since then she has worked tirelessly to encourage smokers to quit by running clinics, one-to-one support sessions and help groups. Also thanks to her efforts, alongside campaigners across the country, patients can now pick up prescriptions without seeing a GP first. Drugs like Chantix provide immense help to smokers and even chain smokers who want to quit smoking.