Stop Smoking for Stoptober with the Essex Wellbeing Service

The Essex Wellbeing Service, commissioned by Essex County Council, is working with pharmacies across Essex to offer free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to help smokers quit.

Stoptober is a nationwide campaign that asks people to begin their stop smoking journey by quitting for 28 days during October. The Essex Wellbeing Service is encouraging smokers to visit their local participating pharmacies where they will be offered weekly supplies of NRT for up to eight weeks. The NRT is a part of a package which includes proven behavioural support from trained staff.

The initiative is expected to boost the service’s already impressive success in the county, where over 16,259 people have quit in the last four years with the team. The Essex Wellbeing Service are also offering behaviour change support if an individual chooses to quit with an e-cigarette, and a variety of stop smoking products can be issued when needed.

Ellen Van Gemmert, who leads the Essex Wellbeing Service within Provide said: ‘Stoptober has proven to be a helpful prompt for smokers to consider breaking the habit. We urge anyone contemplating stopping to contact us as we know people are far more likely to quit when they access medication and behavioural support, and with our free offer, there really is nothing to lose.’

Danny Showell, Public Health Consultant at ECC said: ‘The best time to give up smoking is always ‘now’. There is lots of help available, such as that offered by the Essex Wellbeing Service. Taking up this free support quadruples a person’s chance of successfully quitting.’

Smokers are encouraged to visit the Essex Wellbeing Service website at www.essexwellbeingservice.co.uk or call 0300 303 9988 for information on participating pharmacies and terms and conditions. If you’d like to know more about the many ways you can stop smoking with free help, email provide.essexwellbeing@nhs.net.