STOP-Smoking Cessation Treatment Optimisation in Pharmacies

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  Optimising Pharmacist-Based Treatment For Smoking Cessation: Pilot of the service training intervention

• IRAS ID

  159634

• Contact name

  Sally Burtles

• Sponsor organisation

  Queen Mary University of London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 9 months, 1 days

• Research summary

  Community pharmacists or smoking cessation advisors are currently experiencing a rapid expansion of their role providing front line services for the NHS. This is a direct result of policy which identifies pharmacies as being an easily accessible and cost effective platform for delivering health care. Smoking cessation is one of the earlier tasks given to pharmacists/smoking cessation advisors. While a large number of people who smoke passing through the NHS Stop Smoking Programme quit, a significant number of people do not. To date there has been very little research to find out the best ways of helping people to Stop Smoking in community pharmacies.
  This study (called the STOP study) will test (pilot) whether a service improvement training programme (called the STOP intervention) for community pharmacists or smoking cessation advisors in community pharmacies will improve the uptake and reduce dropouts in the NHS Stop Smoking Programme and improve quit rates. The STOP intervention has been developed through a systematic literature review of community pharmacy based interventions and a detailed qualitative study of north east London community pharmacist consultations (REC ref 13/SC/0189), we have identified strategies to optimise recruitment to and delivery of community pharmacy smoking cessation services.
  We will test the STOP intervention in approximately 12 community pharmacies in East London. The study will last about nine months and the community pharmacists/smoking cessation advisors will undergo training in engaging smokers and interpersonal communication with smokers and provision of resources will be made for the community pharmacy. The smokers/service users who will join the NHS Stop Smoking programme will not undergo any direct change in their care that is not in line with best practice as this study is aiming to improve best practice and its delivery.

• REC name

  London - Surrey Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  14/LO/2162

• Date of REC Opinion

  6 Feb 2015

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion