Services Database Smoking Cessation Services Delivered in Community Pharmacies

Stop smoking advisors have the option of providing 1:1 or group interventions for their Stop Smoking Service.

Service users should be offered weekly clinic appointments and/or telephone support should be offered in order to provide a minimum of 90 minutes contact time over a period of at least six weeks. Service users requiring telephone support are recommended to have an initial face to face appointment to build rapport and identify individual needs and again at four weeks post quit date to verify smoking status.

All smokers should be offered weekly carbon monoxide (CO) breath tests to verify smoking status and to promote abstinence.

Community pharmacies providing an in-house Smoking Cessation Service can supply nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) under their own ‘Letter of Recommendation’ scheme.

Pharmacists who are delivering smoking cessation services may operate under the PGD to supply Varenicline (Champix) once they have been accredited to do so.

Stop Smoking Advisors must be trained to Level 2 standards and registered with HSSS. Level 2 training comprises a:

• two day initial HSSS training with mandatory annual update training in subsequent years; and
• one day UKNSCC online level 1 training PLUS attendance at 1 day HSSS level 2 training with mandatory update in subsequent years (level one certificates MUST BE submitted to HSSS at least one week prior to level 2 training).

Advisors who have been trained to the Health Development Agency or NCSCT stage 2 standards or have full certification and have worked in other counties can offer the service in Hertfordshire subject to validation of their training and attendance of an update in Hertfordshire.

Advisors offering a Pregnancy Stop Smoking Service must attend the HSSS Smoking in Pregnancy Training (1/2 day) as well as completing the level 2 training.