DPT goes smokefree

Posted by Devon Partnership Trust in News on 14th March, 2018

Devon Partnership NHS Trust today (No Smoking Day) becomes one of the first NHS mental health and learning disability providers in the region to go completely smokefree.

Commenting on the achievement, Deputy Director of Nursing and Practice, Gavin Garman, said: “Parts of our organisation have been smokefree for some time but today marks an important day in terms of demonstrating our commitment to the health of the people in our care and our staff.

“It is well documented that people with mental health and learning disability needs generally have far worse physical health than other people – and we also know that a particularly high percentage of people with mental health needs are smokers. Increasingly, organisations like ours are doing everything we can to improve the physical health of people in our care. This can obviously include things like diet, exercise and lifestyle but addressing issues related to smoking is extremely important – it is the nation’s number one killer.

“Many of our staff have now undergone training to support people to quit smoking and to advise them on the use of nicotine replacement therapy. We are also doing everything we can to support our own staff to quit.”

Chief Executive Melanie Walker (left), Chair Julie Dent (centre) and Medical Director Helen Smith are pictured signing the Smokefree Pledge - which is a clear and visible way for NHS organisations to show their commitment to helping smokers to quit and to providing smokefree environments which support them.

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DPT goes smokefree

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