Stoptober is in full swing and there is a real need for effective stop smoking support within our local communities. The number of smokers in County Durham has fallen by 43.3% over the past five years. Despite this progress, smoking-related deaths remain higher than the national average, making stop smoking support a key public health priority. One success story is a Ferryhill mother and daughter who quit smoking together with support from Wellbeing for Life (WBFL) and are already feeling healthier.
WBFL supported Julie and Tina, who had been smoking for a combined 77 years. Julie was smoking around 40 cigarettes a day, and both women were experiencing the effects of smoking on their health. Julie struggled with wheezing and found everyday activities, such as walking uphill or climbing stairs, increasingly difficult. Smoking also made it harder to keep up with the demands of active jobs and daily life.
Working towards a smoke-free future for County Durham, Wellbeing for Life is a free service that has seen 59% of its stop smoking clients achieve their four-week quit rate; a statistic much higher than the national average. With a push to create even more success stories across the county, the service is continuing to train Stop Smoking Advisors to increase its capacity. Their 12-week programme is personalised face-to-face support which also includes a free 12-week Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) prescription tailored to the habits and needs of every individual who comes through the door.
After joining the programme, the benefits came quickly for Julie and Tina. Within just a few weeks, both women saw dramatic improvements in their carbon monoxide (CO) readings, dropping from levels typical of heavy smokers to those expected of non-smokers. They also noticed positive changes in their breathing, energy levels and overall wellbeing.
The pair were supported at the local Dean Bank and Ferryhill Institute throughout their quit journey by Nikki Williams a Community Connector at WBFL. Tina already knew Nikki through her role as a Wellbeing Practitioner for the service in the local area, which helped make the experience even more supportive.
Julie was later diagnosed with COPD, but she believes stopping smoking has helped protect her health. She said: “I can breathe, I feel better in myself and I can taste my food again. If I hadn’t stopped smoking, I’d be in a much worse situation. With my COPD diagnosis, quitting smoking has stopped my condition from getting significantly worse.”
In addition to the health benefits of quitting, stopping smoking can bring about some incredible savings; not only financially, but those who quit also get time back. After just 90 days, the average smoker will save £850 and gain 84 hours that would have been spent smoking.
Nikki Williams, Community Connector at WBFL, said: “I held Julie and Tina’s sessions at a local community centre, which made it easier for them to access the support they needed. Having services available in familiar community venues can make a real difference, helping to remove barriers and making it easier for people to take that first step towards quitting smoking. These venues are at the heart of local communities, making them ideal places to support health and wellbeing and helping people get the support they need, close to home.”
Having local support was crucial for Julie’s success. She said: “I couldn’t have done it without the support from Wellbeing for Life. There’s no way I could have done it on my own. Having somebody to be accountable to made all the difference.”
Nikki was initially nervous about the amount of people who would want to sign up for the programme, but she has been inspired by the results she has seen. She said: “The people coming through the service are often lifelong smokers who really need support. What has surprised me most is how committed people are and how much they don’t want to let you down.”
Lindsey Wood, Programme Lead for Wellbeing for Life, said: “The success rate we have had as a service shows that there truly is a desire in our communities to become smoke-free. It’s wonderful to see two more people’s health improved in the county by successfully quitting smoking. This shows what people can achieve alongside support from local services.”
For more information about the stop smoking support Wellbeing for Life offers, contact 0800 876 6887, email cdda-tr.CBS[@]nhs[.]net, or visit Stop smoking – Your Wellbeing Services.
Ferryhill & Chilton's local community newspaper.
South West Durham News covering news across County Durham.
