NHS, Bury Council and Cancer Research UK join forces to stub out smoking this Stoptober

NHS Bury CCG has pledged its support to tackle the harm caused by tobacco by standing shoulder-to-shoulder with local health partners.

The CCG has signed the NHS Statement of Support for Tobacco Control,following Bury Council’s recent decision to sign the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control.

The council and local NHS have come together, with the advice and support of Cancer Research UK, to redouble their efforts to help Bury go smokefree ahead of this year’s Stoptober – the nation’s 28-day stop smoking campaign.

The NHS Statement of Support for Tobacco Controlis a pledge that sees the CCG doing what it can reduce smoking rates locally. Commitments include working to reduce smoking rates and health inequalities in Bury, raising the profile of the harm caused by smoking, joining the Smokefree Action Coalition and taking every opportunity to encourage smokers to quit.

In Bury nearly one in five adults smokes (19.5%), and tobacco-related disease still kills nearly 78,000 people in England every year. On average smokers lose around a decade of life compared with non-smokers. By signing these tobacco pledges Bury Council and NHS Bury CCG hope to protect generations of young people from the harm done by tobacco, save lives and reduce health inequalities in Bury.

Bury Council and NHS Bury CCG have come together to support Cancer Research UK’s efforts to try to reduce smoking rates across England through local action. Four in ten cancers can be prevented, and smoking remains the single biggest preventable cause of cancer worldwide. By going smokefree up to 64,500 cases of cancer could be prevented in the UK each year.

Dr Kiran Patel, chair and clinical lead for NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “As partners in Bury we aim to tackle the burden that tobacco continues to pose and protect our local communities from the harm caused by smoking.

“We have made huge strides over recent years to reduce the impact of smoking on our communities. This has led to many people living longer and healthier lives. Fewer children now take up smoking, but there is still more we need to do to protect children and young people.”

England’s seven million smokers are being encouraged to take part in this year’s Stoptober campaign, the 28-day stop smoking challenge from Public Health England, starting on 1 October. Research shows that smokers who make it to 28 days smokefree are five times more likely to stay quit for good and are likely to see the benefits very quickly - not only to their health, but also to the money in their pocket.

A range of Stoptober support is available online, including an app and support via email and social media, including Facebook Messenger. Free, local, personalised face-to-face advice and support is available from a range of healthcare professionals including local Stop Smoking Services, pharmacies and GPs. Bury residents can get specialist Stop Smoking support by calling 0845 223 9001.

Stopping smoking is the best thing someone can do for their health, and supporting smokers to quit is the best thing a local authority and local NHS can do for its residents.

Councillor Rishi Shori, leader of Bury Council, said: “While some might think that the fight against tobacco was won with the introduction of smokefree spaces and plain cigarette packaging, sadly it was not. In Bury, almost one in five adults is a smoker. In Bury, and Greater Manchester as a whole, smoking rates remain stubbornly high.

“Councillors from all sides of the political spectrum have come together to support signing the Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control – making a clear commitment to help reduce the harm caused to Bury residents by tobacco, whether that’s by reducing the effect of secondhand smoke on children or by helping to remove illicit tobacco from our streets.

“We are delighted to support the same commitment made by NHS Bury CCG, and work with partners such as Cancer Research UK to improve the health of our residents for the better. We hope Stoptober provides the inspiration and support to help smokers make a lasting quit attempt.”

Alison Cox, director of prevention at Cancer Research UK, said: “At Cancer Research UK we know that it takes concerted action from a range of partners to help reduce rates of smoking, which is why we are delighted to see Bury Council and NHS Bury CCG working together to do just that.

“Smoking remains the single biggest preventable cause of cancer, and with local authorities and the NHS joining forces, we hope that there will be an increased emphasis put on preventing ill health and reducing the harm caused by tobacco
“Smokers are around three times more likely to give up smoking with the support of GPs, pharmacies and evidence based Stop Smoking Services. We hope smokers in Bury benefit from improved support and take steps to quit this Stoptober.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 29 September 2016.

Picture: Signing the statements of support are (from left) Dr Kiran Patel, chair and clinical lead for NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG);Stacey Arnold, public affairs and campaigning officer at Cancer Research UK; Lesley Jones, Bury’s director of public health; and Cllr Rishi Shori, leader of Bury Council.

Notes to editors:

NHS Statement of Support for Tobacco Control:

http://www.smokefreeaction.org.uk/declaration/NHSstatement.html

Local Government Declaration on Tobacco Control:

http://www.smokefreeaction.org.uk/declaration/

About Stoptober

Everyone’s quitting journey is different, however you choose to quit, Stoptober can support you. By searching ‘Stoptober’ online, you can find the right quitting method for you. Support includes the app, email and social media support including Facebook Messenger, which is new to the support package for this year. There is also information about the free expert face-to-face support that your local Stop Smoking Service or Pharmacy team can offer, as well as detail on the different types of stop smoking aids available including medicines and e-cigarettes.

Visit www.nhs.uk/oneyou/stoptoberto sign up or find out more on what support is available.

Over 14,800,000 smokers in England have already quit for good; by taking part in Stoptober, you can become one of 15 million ex-smokers. Nearly a million people have taken part in Stoptober since it began in 2012

About Cancer Research UK

• Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to saving lives through research.
• Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
• Cancer Research UK receives no government funding for its life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer relies on every pound donated.
• Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has already seen survival in the UK double in the last forty years.
• Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years. Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that by 2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years.
• Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
• Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.

For further information about Cancer Research UK's work or to find out how to support the charity, please call 0300 123 1022 or visit www.cancerresearchuk.org. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook.