We are reaching out to smokers with mental health needs with support to quit
New findings from the YouGov COVID-19 tracker indicate that smokers with existing mental health needs are more likely to have quit successfully since the pandemic hit than other smokers (10% of ex-smokers with a mental health problem compared to 7% of those without). This is at a time when poor mental health is reportedly on the increase.
Surrey County Council is reaching out to smokers who have existing mental health needs with the message that "help is out there". Many people who smoke do not realise that quitting smoking can improve their mental health and wellbeing.
Surrey's specialist Stop Smoking Provider, One You Surrey, are currently in the process of creating a specialist role within their team to support people with mental health needs. The dedicated specialist practitioner will be on hand to provide a combination of behavioural change support and stop smoking medication for up to 12 weeks. People who wish to stop smoking will be offered weekly via video or phone consultations. Additionally, if the client is engaged with mental health services, the specialist practitioner will work with the mental health support worker/clinician to ensure the person is given the best support possible to help them stop smoking.
While the high success rate in quitting is good news, people with mental health needs who have not been able to quit smoking are more likely to report they are:
- Smoking more (40% of smokers with a mental health problem say they are smoking more compared to 26% of smokers without)
- Smoking more indoors (18% of smokers with a mental health problem are smoking more inside compared to 12% of those without)
The Mental Health and Smoking Partnership, a coalition of organisations working to reduce rates of smoking amongst people with mental health needs, are backing a campaign to get more smokers to quit smoking. The Today is the Day campaign, led by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), encourages smokers to quit today and is currently running across Surrey.
Chair of the Mental Health and Smoking Partnership, Professor Ann McNeill from King's College London, backed the campaign urging health and care workers not to overlook smokers with mental health problems:
"There are so many physical health benefits to quitting smoking that the impact on mental health is often overlooked. It is great news that smokers with mental health problems are successfully quitting in greater numbers but we must do more to reach those who have not quit yet.
"To ignore them is to miss the chance not only to improve their physical health but to help address the increase we're seeing in poor mental health."
Dr Nick Hopkinson, respiration physician and chair or ASH said:
"We estimate that a million smokers in the UK have quit since the COVID-19 crisis hit, but we need to make sure no smokers are left behind. Health professionals who are seeing people who have mental health problems should make sure that they have the help they need to quit smoking as a way to improve their mental as well as their physical health."
Access support from the One You Surrey stop smoking service for free:
Call: 01737 652168
Visit: One You Surrey website
Text: 07494 681070