Hospital to Home, Smoker Support Trial

The Investigators analysis of electronic primary care records has recently estimated that approximately 1.1 million smokers are admitted to English hospitals every year . Every one of these admissions represents a prime opportunity to intervene to promote smoking cessation, particularly since most smokers abstain from smoking while in hospital. Recent NICE guidance (PH48) recommends that smoking cessation interventions should be provided in routine care pathways for all smokers admitted to hospital; The Investigators earlier work (Evaluation of the impact of a systematic delivery of cessation interventions on delivery of smoking cessation in secondary care. REC Reference Number:10/H0403/34) in this Programme (RP-PG-0608-10020) has demonstrated that default delivery of cessation support to all smokers in hospital significantly increases uptake of support and doubles the proportion of smokers who quit long term. Clinical experience indicates that many smokers admitted to hospital, particularly those with an illness caused or exacerbated by smoking, are motivated not to smoke again after discharge but are also likely to be heavily dependent on smoking and in many cases are disabled by lung or heart disease, socially isolated, and socio-economically deprived. On leaving hospital, many participants returned to a home environment where smoking has been an integral part of daily life for many years. It is therefore not surprising that whilst many participants managed to stay smoke-free during their hospital stay, relapse after discharge is common.

The Investigators previous study, among smokers who received care similar to that now recommended by NICE, 62% of participants abstinent at discharge had relapsed by 4 weeks, and 81% by 6 months. The Investigators hypothesise that many of these relapses could be prevented by interventions that help to sustain cessation and the maintenance of smoke-free home after discharge.

The investigators therefore propose to test the effectiveness of an intensive home support intervention for newly-abstinent smokers leaving hospital and involving home visits to support cessation and establishment of a smoke-free home; ensure receipt and correct use of smoking cessation pharmacotherapy; deliver behavioural support or else, where local services are preferred, transfer to local community Stop Smoking Services (SSS).

Inclusion criteria

• All patients aged 18 and over (with no upper age limit).
• Have been admitted for 24 hours or more to any participating inpatient ward at Nottingham City Hospital.
• Who report that they are current smokers, or had smoked within 7 days before the current admission.
• Are capable of understanding and consenting to the trial.

Exclusion criteria

• • If they are pregnant; Pregnant smokers (of whom very few are admitted to medical wards) will be offered cessation advice in line with NICE PH48 guidance.

• If they do not consent to participate,
• If they are too ill or otherwise lack capacity to understand the information and consent forms.
• If they live more than 50 miles from the City Hospital (these patients will be referred to their local community cessation services, in line with NICE recommendations).