UHNM lung health checks team up with local pharmacies in a first to offer quit smoking support

University Hospitals of North Midlands lung health checks is the first lung screening service in the UK to introduce a partnership with local pharmacies in which current smokers who attend a lung health check can access stop smoking support.

More than 20,000 people in Stoke-on-Trent have already benefitted from a lung health check with 58 per cent of people stating that they also want to quit smoking. Now the team will be able to ensure participants wishing to quit can get the support they need from trained health care professionals in convenient community locations.

72 per cent of lung cancers are linked to exposure to tobacco smoke and more than 10,000 people across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent will be eligible for quit smoking support at a pharmacy located in their local community to help them quit.

People who get help to quit are four times more likely to stop for good than people trying to stop on their own.  

The targeted lung health check programme invites people aged between 55 and 74 who are current or ex-smokers to a lung health check.  An initial conversation with a specialist respiratory nurse will take place in a convenient local setting or by telephone appointment and those who have a higher chance of developing lung cancer will be offered a low dose CT scan.

Dr Imran Hussain, Clinical Lead for the Lung Health Checks Team “This is a fantastic opportunity to work in partnership the wider community healthcare team in helping people give up smoking and improve public health.”

Janina Barnett, Programme Manager, of Lung Health Checks Team said:  “We are delighted to be the first lung screening service in the country to team up with colleagues at local pharmacies to ensure our participants have the correct support in place to help them successfully quit smoking.”

Since the start of the lung health checks programme in 2019, almost 80 per cent of lung cancers have been diagnosed at an early stage meaning treatment can be simpler and more successful.

For more information about the programme please visit www.uhnm.nhs.uk/TLC