Smoke-free initiative leads to major reduction in smoking at North Metro mental health sites

North Metropolitan Health Service (NMHS) mental health services have been commended by the nation’s health watch dog for successfully implementing a smoke-free initiative that has led to a reduction in evidence of smoking at Graylands and Selby Lodge of 60 per cent or more.

The ‘Smoke Free Mental Health Project’ was “highly commended” by the Australian Council of Health Care Standards (ACHS) at their Quality Improvement Awards late last year.

MHPHDS Director of Public Health, Jo Fagan, said people with mental illness have rates of smoking two or three times higher than that of the general population and as a result are more likely to experience ill health and death from smoking related illness.

“We recognise that everyone should be offered the opportunity to quit smoking and research demonstrates that many people with a mental illness want to reduce or quit smoking,” Jo said.

“With our clinicians offering smoking cessation support to patients while they are in our care, we are now providing our patients with an opportunity for a healthier life.”

Some methods used to help reduce onsite smoking include:

• new Smoking Care Guidelines and tools to help staff identify patients who smoke. The Guidelines also endorse the safe use of higher dose Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) patches in combination with a faster acting NRT to better manage withdrawals.
• an NRT assessment tool used on admission to ask patients about their smoking status and assess nicotine dependence and management.
• the introduction of non-pharmacological interventions, such as advice, encouragement, discussion or distraction activities.
• Smoking Cessation Support Training delivered to more than 460 clinical staff to support the implementation of the new guidelines.
• removal of tobacco-related products, such as lighters and waste from patient areas.
• installation of new positive smoke-free signs.
• presentations by guest speakers.
• a staff awareness campaign about the Guidelines as well as information about smoking cessation training, resources and evidence.