2009-2010 Target Number of Quitters Met

We are pleased to announce that the service has met and exceeded the target number of quitters for 2009-2010, a month ahead of schedule.   Over 1,512 people in Hammersmith & Fulham stopped smoking last year with our help.  This could not have been achieved without all your hard work.  You’ve helped us provide a service that’s accessible and effective and which meets clients’ needs.  We look forward to working alongside you this year to make 2010-2011’s figures even more impressive.

WIN £30 Love2Shop gift vouchers!

Rearrange the letters below to form a familiar slogan. 

 VIKINGS A-PLOTTING STORMS

The first 10 correct answers emailed to trish.oak@kick-it.org.uk will be entered into a draw to win £30 gift vouchers.  We will announce the winner next month.

All Paperwork for 2009-2010 Due Now

We will shortly be finalising all paperwork and payments for clients who set a quit date in the financial year 2009-10.  We now therefore require all remaining paperwork for this period.  Please ensure that ALL completed client data forms (and SCS2s for pharmacies) for clients with a quit date of 31st March or earlier are returned by 31st May 2010.  Paperwork for 2009/10 clients received after 31st May will not be reimbursed.

Job Vacancy – Stop Smoking Lead

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, the organization which runs all of the hospitals in Hammersmith & Fulham, are recruiting a Project Manager to integrate smoking cessation into the hospitals’ patient pathways. For more information please see www.jobs.nhs.uk and enter the job reference 290-CSR-IC-01. The closing date is 31st May 2010 so if you’re interested you’ll need to be quick!

Smoking and Weight Gain

Are some of your clients concerned that they will gain weight when they stop smoking?  There may be some immediate weight gain associated with stopping smoking where people reach for unhealthy snacks to curb cravings and their bodies adjust to life without nicotine.  However recent evidence suggests that continuing to smoke will result in more weight gain in the longer term than stopping smoking.  Researchers in Spain found that when they monitored the weights of groups of smokers, recent quitters and non-smokers over 4 years, those who gained the most weight were those who continued to smoke. 

If you have any clients who have concerns around their weight they can be referred to the local health trainer service: hannah.coleman@sbhg.co.uk

Source: netdoctor, 23 April 2010

Protest at the British American Tobacco AGM

On 28th April, members of the Kick It team and our young advisors hit the British American Tobacco AGM to protest against child labour in developing countries where tobacco is farmed/manufactured.

See the photos on our Facebook site

Read more about the Tobacco industry’s use of child labour

Start Twittering to help save lives

We now have several advisors and clients following our Twitter account . We are looking to advisors to help us promote Kick It by encouraging clients to join us online. By spreading the word “virally” we hope that existing clients can help persuade their families and friends to see what Kick It has to offer!

….and finally

Did you know… that smoking costs the UK £13million every day?  The latest edition of the Tobacco Atlas, a global study of the economic and health impact of tobacco, states that the UK loses £1.58 billion annually due to healthcare costs.  However, economists behind the report said that once other indirect factors are taken into account – such as dropped productivity, absenteeism, premature deaths and missed taxation opportunities due to cigarette smuggling – the figure would be “at least three times higher”

Source: New Scotsman