STOPTOBER is the 28-day stop smoking challenge from Public Health England, which works on the knowledge that if you can quit for 28 days, you are five times more likely to be able to stop for good. For the last three years smokers across the country have signed up in October to try and quit smoking for good.

As a stop smoking advisor at the Alexandra and Worcestershire Royal hospitals, October gets pretty busy for me. I provide advice, support and encouragement to help smokers kick the habit of a lifetime. The service we provide is completely free of charge to patients, staff and any member of the public wanting to quit.

There’s loads of support available to anyone willing to give up smoking. We have a number of motivational methods and nicotine replacement treatments available. Patients find it so much easier to quit with just a little support behind them.

We provide a 12-week programme, but in reality, the advice and support goes beyond that as we build up a personal relationship with the people we see.

The sense of pride we get when a client has quit successfully is great — especially when you can actually see the difference giving up makes to their physical wellbeing.

It can be a lot of hard work but it’s extremely rewarding when we receive positive feedback about how we’ve made a difference to people’s lives.

Earlier this year our three acute hospitals, the Alexandra, Kidderminster and Worcestershire Royal went completely smokefree – meaning no one is allowed to smoke anywhere on the hospital grounds.

A smokefree atmosphere around hospitals is much nicer, with very ill patients able to pop out for fresh air, without getting a lung-full of smoke.

If you want help kicking the habit, give us a call on 01562 513225 or 0300 123 0619. Appointments are available in Bromsgrove, Evesham, Kidderminster, Redditch or Worcester.

MARY CORNFORD-HILL Stop Smoking Adviser, Worcs Acute Health Trust