In line with the long term plan, the Trust has a dedicated Tobacco Dependency Service. The team visit wards daily to support patients, who are an inpatient and smoke, to stop smoking. They also refer patients, when they are discharged, on to secondary services to enable them to continue their therapeutic plan.
If a patient has been receiving support from the Tobacco Dependency Service while they are being treated / cared for in hospital for a condition and they are then discharged for that condition, the Tobacco Dependency Team will refer the patient onto a secondary service within the community.
The Tobacco Dependency Team works very closely with the secondary services, communicating all patients plans and requirements. The patient will then receive three months support following on from their management plan, which was originally put in place in hospital. This holistic plan includes support and guidance over the phone three times a week, with medications been sent through the post. Behavioural therapy is tailored and delivered through the phone calls, specifically looking at triggers and habits and support and guidance with regards to nicotine addiction.
