National Smoking Cessation Service for Patients Discharged from Hospital

Thursday 10^th March saw the official launch of the Advanced Service: National Smoking Cessation Service for patients who have been referred to pharmacy from hospital upon their discharge.

This is not the Locally Commissioned Service but a new national service provided by the pharmacist.

This is an advanced service and pharmacies can choose whether to deliver or not. For pharmacies looking to sign up and claim the £1,000 ‘signing up’ fee, make sure you have:

1. The pharmacist(s) must complete the following training:

• National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) Stop Smoking Practitioner training and certification AND complete the additional modules for:
  • Mental health and smoking cessation
  • Pregnancy and smoking cessation
  • E-cigarettes: a guide for healthcare professionals 
• Have read and understood the service specification
• Have read the NCSCT Standard Treatment Programme (STP)

2. The pharmacy must have:

• A working CO breath monitor and disposable mouth pieces
• An SOP

Pharmacies may find it useful to refer to the service checklist here.

*NOTE*  If you have already declared readiness and signed up on MYS but are not yet ready (i.e. you still have training to complete) either finish the training as soon as possible or you can withdraw from the service via MYS. This does not affect your ability to re-register to provide the service once training has been completed and the pharmacy is in possession of a CO monitor.