Charities join forces to help people with severe mental health problems to quit smoking

10 October 2007

A widely neglected group of smokers can today get more help to quit the habit. People with severe mental health problems are among the most likely groups to smoke and often get the least effective help to quit.

To mark World Mental Health Day, the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health and QUIT, the charity that helps smokers to stop, have come together to offer smokers information and assistance that is relevant to their needs.

Funded by Cancer Research UK, a special leaflet and dedicated helpline will offer smokers with severe mental health problems advice that works for them. Produced by experts, including people with mental health problems themselves, the leaflet offers information and practical advice for those who want to quit smoking.

The leaflet is part of an 18-month pilot programme that includes training for mental health practitioners in smoking cessation advice and for QUIT telephone counsellors in mental health awareness.

Linda Seymour, Sainsbury Centre head of policy, explained: “People with severe mental health problems can find giving up smoking a real challenge. They don’t always get the informed help and support they need. Mental health professionals and GPs are not always knowledgeable enough about how to help this group to stop smoking.

“The excessive levels of smoking among people with mental health conditions exacerbate existing health inequalities for an already disadvantaged group. High rates of smoking-related illnesses such as heart disease contribute to people with schizophrenia losing on average 10 years of life.

“Just under a quarter of mental health trusts are already smoke-free, but a total smoking ban will be implemented from July 2008. Unless people with severe mental health problems get the support they deserve to stop smoking, they will be further disadvantaged when the total bans come into effect.”

Terri Forward, QUIT’s Smoking and Mental Health Project Manager said, “ QUIT has taken action by responding to the urgent needs of smokers with mental health conditions by developing a ground breaking, pro-active, tailor made stop smoking service. The charity is sharing their expertise to enable mental health workers to provide sustainable support to this hard to reach group of smokers and tobacco users.”

The leaflet, The QUIT Guide to Stopping Smoking and Mental Health is available from www.quit.org.uk or a hard copies from Quitline on 0800 00 22 00.