This Stoptober, discover why it’s never too late to quit
Whether you’ve been thinking about quitting for years or are considering it for the first time, Stoptober is a great opportunity to take that first step. In the latest episode of our RCHT podcast, the Quit for Life team share practical advice, bust common myths about stopping smoking and highlight the support available to help you quit for good.
This year the team are also supporting the NHS southwest smokefree campaign, which focuses on what smoking quietly takes away, like the weddings, birthdays and everyday moments that people don’t get back.
Amanda Pascoe, Tobacco Dependency Advisor, explained: “We’re focusing on hope rather than harm. We want our patients to think of what they could gain by stopping smoking rather than focusing on what they feel they might be giving up on.
“We also believe that change is possible and that every quit attempt is an opportunity. The message for us is about looking forward to the things that really matter to them and seeing a future without smoking.”
If you are a patient you can ask a member of staff to refer you to the Quit for Life Team.
Yvonne Tremaine, from the team, explained what this entails: “When a patient is ready to stop smoking, the first thing we do is have a non-judgmental conversation, we’ll undertake an assessment and discuss their smoking history as well as nicotine replacement options, helping them choose the right product. We may also refer them to Healthy Cornwall for further support.”
Stoptober, the national stop smoking campaign, challenges people to quit smoking for 28 days during October. Research shows that people who stay smoke-free for 28 days are far more likely to quit for good.
We know quitting isn’t easy, but help is available. For further resources and support:
- Visit Smokefree Cornwall for free advice
- Visit NHS quit smoking for more information
- Visit Better Health for useful resources and guidance
- Download the NHS Quit Smoking app, which allows you to track your progress, get daily support and even monitor how much you’re saving.
We’d also like to remind everyone that all Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust sites are smoke and vape free. This means no smoking or vaping anywhere on our grounds, including car parks and entrances. Thank you for helping us keep our hospitals smoke and vape free and protecting the health of our community.