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West Middlesex offers support for resolutions to quit smoking

18 December 2013

West Middlesex is encouraging smokers to have a smoke free new year. Rather than see good intentions vanish in the smoke of yet another cigarette, the hospital can provide help and support to anyone who wants to stop smoking.

West Middlesex is encouraging smokers to have a smoke free new year. Rather than see good intentions vanish in the smoke of yet another cigarette, the hospital can provide help and support to anyone who wants to stop smoking.

The Stop Smoking walk-in clinic is open every Wednesday 4.45pm – 5.45pm at the hospital’s chest clinic in Outpatients Department 2 (OPD2). With our specialist support and medication, patients, staff and visitors all have a great chance of breaking the habit. In fact, you are four times more likely to quit smoking with NHS support than on your own.

Eva Gates, Stop Smoking Service Co-ordinator, explains: “We want the clinic to help as many people as possible because smoking is such a big cause of disease and health problems. We provide friendly support and medically proven aids to help beat the addiction.”

Eva helped West Middlesex receptionist Joan Ingram, who used to smoke an average 12 cigarettes a day, to stop smoking.

Joan explained: “Eva provided a prescription of Champix tablets to take to my GP. I started taking the tablets which work to block the signals in your brain which crave nicotine. I gradually smoked less and less until I didn’t want another cigarette.

“I don’t miss it and I find that I don’t get out of breath so quickly. I couldn’t have done it without Eva’s ongoing encouragement.”

Giving up smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health. DrBobby Mann, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine, explains: “Cigarette smoking is the single largest cause of ill health and premature death in theUK, causing 100,000 smoking related deaths per year.

“Early benefits of giving up include a reduction in the number of chest infections and improvement in respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum production and breathlessness.

“In the long term, there is a reduction in the risk of developing heart disease and lung cancer. Even if you suffer with COPD or heart disease, your long term outlook is improved if you stop smoking rather than if you continued to smoke. Apart from saving money, you may add an extra 10 years to your life!”

The Stop Smoking Service’s top tips:  

  • For help with quitting smoking, simply contact the Stop Smoking Service on 0208 321 5188
  • Visit us at least a week before you intend to quit, which will give you time to pick up any medications required and plan for those first few days of quitting
  • Think about when and why you smoke to help you and your trained advisor understand your addiction and how to beat it
  • Use stop smoking medication to cope with the withdrawal symptoms
  • Keep reminding yourself why you are stopping, motivation is the key to success
  • Note how much cash you’re saving. Work out how long it will take you to save for your dream purchase by using the calculator on http://smokefree.nhs.uk/quit-tools/cost-calculator
  • All is not lost if you have relapsed. Come back and see us and we can help you reset your quit day and plan how to manage your triggers more effectively to stay stopped for good
  • If you would like support to stop smoking in the community please contact the Hounslow Stop Smoking Service on 0208 630 3255 or the Kingston and Richmond Stop Smoking Service on 0800 085 2903.
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