'I used to spend £150-plus a month on smoking - Now I spend £5 per week on vapes': Hartlepool Stop Smoking Service helps dozens quit
Dozens of people have already signed up for support from Hartlepool’s new Stop Smoking Service.
Commissioned by Hartlepool Borough Council, the service is delivered by North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust and Hartlepool & Stockton Health.
Forty-five people are already receiving advice on quitting since its official launch in January.
Among the service’s techniques are prescribing nicotine replacement therapy and carrying out personal assessments at home or in community clinics.
Ahead of No Smoking Day on Wednesday, March 12, Hartlepool Stop Smoking Service team members have discussed their work.
Stop smoking advisor Jill Skelton said: “I’m passionate about helping clients to quit smoking after working in respiratory research for five years and often seeing patients with life-limiting respiratory conditions caused by smoking.
“Seeing patients say they wish they had never smoked heightened my wish to support clients to quit. The job brings the satisfaction of seeing clients’ joy and happiness when they have quit – that never gets old.”
Stop smoking facilitator Lucy Noble added: “I’m passionate about the role because being able to see the achievement on people’s faces when they have managed to quit smoking makes their efforts worthwhile as well as the work that I and the team have done to help them achieve that goal.”
Natalie Brooks, tobacco dependency specialist and training lead, said: “I had the pleasure of supporting 35 staff to quit smoking last year and it’s really exciting that I can support Hartlepool residents by prescribing nicotine replacement therapy.
“It is very rewarding to support people in making the decision to quit smoking and changing their lives.”
Some of the people the service is supporting have also spoken about its work and how they now feel.
Paul Brazell, 58, stopped smoking about six months ago.
He said: “It wasn’t easy but the vapes helped. The service was really helpful.”
Dave MacSween, 74, has seen the benefit in his pocket since he quit.
Dave said: “I used to spend more than £150 a month on smoking. Now I spend £5 per week on vapes. Since quitting I have bought a new TV, a laptop, an apple watch and paid for a holiday.”
The Hartlepool Stop Smoking Service can be contacted on (01642) 383819.