The Seymour community now have even more support to quit

Patients of Seymour Health will get access to the best support to stop smoking thanks to the roll out of new smoking cessation training provided by Quit.

Last month, staff at Seymour Health completed Quit’s brief advice smoking cessation training, which embeds conversations about smoking as a routine part of patient care.

Seymour Health’s Health Promotion Project Manager Steph Trenfield said the training is an important step towards ensuring all patients admitted to Seymour Health are offered the support they need to increase their chances of quitting successfully.

“With the daily smoking rate in Mitchell Shire at 17 per cent, compared to the Victorian average of 10.2 per cent, it’s clear that the Seymour community need more support to stop smoking and to help them to live longer and healthier lives,” said Ms Trenfield.

 Our nursing staff are now ready to help patients who are receiving care at Seymour Health to stop smoking as part of the organisation’s commitment to providing the highest level of care to the community.

Quit’s training supports health professionals working in the hospital setting to identify which of their patients smoke, and how to link patients to best practice tobacco dependence treatment: a combination of Quitline counselling and stop smoking medications. Quit director, Dr Sarah White said that health professionals play a vital role when it comes to supporting their patients to stop smoking.“We know that most people want to stop smoking, and that health professionals are well placed to help them do it - they just need empathetic, tailored and evidence-based support,” Dr White said.

 “Quitting smoking is without a doubt, the best thing you can do for your health and the health of the people around you. No matter what age you are - quitting smoking has immediate benefits on your physical health and mental wellbeing,” said Ward Steet, Chief Executive Officer, Seymour Health.

 “We’re proud to be leading the way in best practice smoking cessation care and to help improve health outcomes for our community members,” he said.

 Alongside staff training, Seymour Health has also updated its smokefree policy and patients are able to receive nicotine replacement medications whilst receiving care at Seymour Health. These important initiatives ensure that the local community receives the highest level of care by Seymour Health.

‘Embedding prevention in routine care: tobacco-free living’ has been developed by Quit in conjunction with Alfred Health and the Victorian government. It is currently being implemented at three other health services – Western District Health Service, Northeast Health Wangaratta and North Western Mental Health - and will serve as a blueprint for delivery of best practice smoking cessation care in Victorian hospitals.