Health professionals play an important role in smoking cessation. Supporting smokers to quit is an activity for the whole health care system and should be integrated into as many settings as possible, including hospitals, health services and community settings. Health professionals can be very effective in encouraging and supporting people to quit smoking regardless of their professional discipline.
Combining brief advice with other effective interventions, such as pharmacotherapy can greatly increase quit smoking success. NSW Health has mandated the NSW Smoke-free Health Care Policy to emphasise the important role of the health care sector in reducing the risks to health associated with tobacco use by clients, staff and visitors to NSW Health facilities and the risks to the community through exposure to second-hand smoke.
The policy bans the use of cigarettes, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), and other tobacco smoking products in NSW properties such as buildings, grounds and vehicles. The policy also mandates that all clients/patients to NSW Health facilities are asked about their smoking status and those who smoke are supported to manage their nicotine dependence while in hospital and at discharge.
The following guidelines and resources will assist health professionals to confidently provide evidence-based management of nicotine dependence and smoking cessation for their clients/patients.