Mersey Care is striving to become totally smoke free across all its sites and services. In April 2022 the prevalence of tobacco smoking within the general population in England was 13 percent, whereas the mental health population stands at 70 percent.
As part of our goal to become smoke free, a comprehensive nicotine management assessment is being conducted. This helps staff discuss attempts to quit with service users using Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) or manage their nicotine dependence in a safer way (Vapes).
Staff are being helped with those challenging conversations with a new training package that’s been developed to help them support service users and how to use a carbon monoxide monitor to motivate progress. The Level Two e-learning package has now gone live and is available to relevant members of the workforce.
Should service users choose to quit they will be offered two NRT products and referred to the local stop smoking service if they are an inpatient and are discharged before the 12 weeks course is completed. There is also a free NHS app you can download to your phones to help guide you through the quitting process.
If they choose to manage their nicotine in a safer way, they will be advised to use products from independent retailers who are not affiliated to the tobacco industry. The retailers are Totally Wicked, Liberty flights and Dinner Lady.
For further information or advice please contact Peter Terry via email peter