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NHS OUTREACH TEAMS HELPING LOCAL PEOPLE STOP SMOKING THIS STOPTOBER

Patients who visited University Hospital, Coventry on Friday 4th October were offered support from stop smoking services and given advice on whether they are eligible for a free lung health check as part of a Stoptober campaign.

Stoptober is an annual campaign that encourages smokers to start their quit journey by giving up smoking for 28 days. Evidence shows that people who give up for 28 days are then 5 times more likely to quit for good, meaning Stoptober can be a vital starting point for people who are looking to quit.

Quitting smoking improves someone’s physical health by reducing their risk of smoking-related diseases such as heart attack and cancer, improves their mental health and wellbeing, and also saves them money. There are also many benefits for their family and friends such as protecting them from second-hand smoke, making them a smoke-free role model and improving the likelihood they can be a part of their loved one’s lives in the future.

As part of the local Stoptober campaign, representatives of the local stop smoking service, run by Healthy Lifestyles Coventry, and the Targeted Lung Health Check programme were on hand at the Innovation Hub at University Hospital in Coventry to give patients advice on the support available to help them quit smoking, the risks associated with smoking and to raise awareness of the lung cancer screening campaign.

Healthy Lifestyles Coventry offers local residents a range of support to help them make healthier lifestyle choices in key areas such as stopping smoking, weight loss, diet, alcohol and being more active. Their stop smoking service involves a 12-week personalised stop smoking programme where they are supported by a stop smoking coach and offered nicotine replacement therapy and access to an online community. You can find more information on their stop smoking services here.

The Targeted Lung Health Check (TLHC) Programme is a cancer screening programme that invites people aged 55-74 and who are current or former smokers for a lung health check. Initially, they are offered a phone appointment with a specialist health care advisor who will assess their risk of lung cancer. Those who are deemed to be at high risk are then invited to have a CT scan at a special mobile unit located at accessible community locations, which can identify any issues with their lungs such as lung cancer. The programme has been rolled out to Coventry and Rugby and is currently being rolled out in North Warwickshire, with the South Warwickshire rollout planned for 2026.

Members of the TLHC team were at the event to raise awareness of the programme and encouraging people who live in Coventry or Rugby who think they may be eligible to come forward. Those who live in Coventry or Rugby and think they’re eligible for a lung health check are being asked to complete a form and a member of the TLHC will then contact them to discuss it further.

Aisatu Jaiteh, the Targeted Lung Health Check Clinical Nurse Manager, said:

“It was a lovely morning, we managed to speak to several individuals, most who had stopped smoking and were very proud to let us know. We advertised about the TLHC programme and asked patients whether they wanted to sign up if they met the criteria.”

Jennifer Oyawiri, Targeted Lung Health Check Tobacco Dependency Advisor, said:

“It was a really nice morning, and it was good to speak to lots of people about how they can stop smoking and the Targeted Lung Health Check programme”.

 


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