A Policy Briefing aimed at healthcare professionals is available for LKS staff to share in their own organisations. This has been produced and shared by the JET Library, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Please feel free to reproduce it (with acknowledgement to JET Library) for your own purposes.
Impact on library policy/practice:
With the emphasis on backing evidence based innovations to support people to stop smoking, there is a clear role for library and information professionals to support this national policy alongside their colleagues. For library services working with public health teams, there may be an opportunity to provide evidence summaries or horizon scanning services to support local non-smoking initiatives. For those working in trusts aiming to become smoke free, there may be opportunities to inform these initiatives.
Source: Department of Health
Publication format: PDF
Date of publication: July 2017
Summary of driver:
Since the last Tobacco Control plan, smoking has reduced to 15.5% of the population due to the introduction of a number of public health and legislative measures. However, despite having the lowest smoking levels since records began there are still a number of areas which need addressing. This paper outlines a vision of creating a smokefree generation, with a shift in emphasis from action at the national level to focused, local action, supporting smokers, particularly in disadvantaged groups, to quit.
Key features of driver:
The paper outlines the current challenge:
- Over 200 deaths a day are still caused by smoking
- 8% of 15-year-olds still smoke
- 10% of pregnant women still smoke
- Smoking rates are three times as high among lower earners
- Smoking accounts for about half the difference in life expectancy between the richest and the poorest
- More than 40% of adults with a serious mental illness smoke
In order to address this challenge, the paper outlines four National Ambitions:
- Create the first smoke free generation by 2020 by reducing the prevalence of 15-year-olds smoking to 3%; reducing the prevalence of smoking among adults to 12% or less and reducing the inequality gap.
- A smoke free pregnancy for all, by reducing the prevalence of smoking in pregnancy to 6% or less by 2020.
- Parity of esteem for those with mental health conditions, improving data collection and making all mental-health inpatient services smoke-free by 2018.
- Backing evidence based innovations to support quitting by permitting innovative technologies that minimise the risk of harm and maximising the availability of safer alternatives to smoking
New plan aims to:
- Ensure the effective operation of existing legislation
- Support pregnant smokers as they try to give up
- Provide access to training for all health professionals on how to help patients
- Create a smoke-free NHS by 2020 for staff, visitors and workers
- Promote links to stop-smoking services across the health system
- Maintain high taxes on tobacco to make it less affordable
Primary audience: Public Health, NHS Foundation Trusts, CCGs, Local Authorities, GPs, AHPs
Date last updated: September 2017
Due for review: September 2018
Group member responsible: TP