Call the Plymouth NHS Stop Smoking service on 01752 314040 and find out about all the services that can be offered locally to you.
We are a free service offering advice and support to those that want to quit smoking. All recommended medications are available on prescription and in some circumstances we can even give Nicotine Replacement Therpay (NRT) directly to clients.
As a service we offer accessible, friendly and practical information, support and advice if you want to stop smoking and would like to help. What we will not be doing is telling you why you 'should' give up or try to educate you about the health risks.
Our message is very much 'if you want to stop - we can help'.
The Stop Smoking service works together with GP surgeries, pharmacies and a range of other people in Plymouth, where there are trained advisers who offer one to one support and advice, including advice on NRT or Champix. The service includes showing individuals how to use the products e.g. patches, gum etc.
One of the keys to success is wanting to stop.
In each GP surgery there is a smoking adviser who will support you while you quit and will:
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help you to identify for yourself how ready you are in preparing for giving up smoking
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help you to identify for yourself the most useful 'tools' to help you with the skills and will power to stop
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offer you a choice of access to a range of services that will help you to stop.
Having a baby? Want some help to stop smoking?
Giving up smoking is the single most important thing that you can do for your health and to give your baby a healthy start in life.
If you're a smoker, you know that it is not easy. But pregnancy is a great opportunity to stop, as you now have the health of two of you to motivate you. This can really boost will power!
It doesn't matter if you have already smoked through part of your pregnancy because stopping is beneficial to both of you at any time.
There are now loads of different types of help available for people who want to stop smoking. What's more, they have been shown to increase your chances of success.
If you want to stop, these different sorts of help can make giving up a bit easier for you and boost your will power. You can do it! There are hundreds of ex-smokers out there that no longer think about having a cigarette.
What support will your smoking adviser provide?
Your Smoking Adviser has undergone training in helping smokers to stop. The adviser will not judge you or your reasons for smoking but instead will help you look at why and when you smoke and examine what went wrong with your previous attempts at quitting. The adviser will also help you develop an action plan for quitting and identify a quit date, usually in a week.
Your adviser will also discuss using Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and non-Nicotine products with you including Champix. All of these therapies will more or less double your chances of stopping for good - when used according to the instructions. Remember though - these products are not a 'magic cure'. You still have to put a lot of effort into stopping.
An important part of helping you stop will be follow up sessions. During the first month or so your adviser will stay in touch, perhaps in person or over the phone, to help you stay stopped for good.
Specialist support
If you find one to one support and NRT combined are not enough to help you to stop you might need more intensive help. We have specialist quit smoking advisers who offer one to one support and hold group sessions in venues across Plymouth where people who would like help quitting can get together for mutual support.
If you want to join a group, you will meet for an hour or so over six weeks with other people who are trying to stop. During this time, you will be able to share your successes, frustrations, challenges and concerns in stopping and receive information and advice on using NRT and non-NRT products.
The sessions take place as follows:
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Session 1: Assessment
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Session 2: Quit day - your last cigarette
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Session 3-5: Maintenance - staying stopped, coping skills and motivation
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Session 6: Relapse prevention and celebration!
We also hold drop-in clinics across the city where clients can just turn up and quit straight away. For more details call us on 01752 314040.
External links
www.smokefreeplymouth.com