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Tobacco Dependency Service

Tobacco Dependency Service

Main Address

Smoking remains one of the biggest killers in England. 64,000 people die from smoking related illnesses in England every year and it’s estimated that for every person who dies due to a smoking related illness, there are another 30 who will suffer from serious smoking related diseases. While smoking is commonly associated with lung cancer, it can also cause 15 other cancers and over 100 other diseases. This means that 2 out of every 3 smokers will die due to a smoking related disease.

Tackling smoking remains the leading cause of health inequalities.

Tobacco dependence treatment is effective and improves the health and wellbeing of the person smoking and their family, as well as saving them money. Helping people tackle their tobacco dependence is a key component of the NHS Long Term Plan and forms the NHS’s contribution to wider government action to deliver the 2030 ambition for a smoke free generation. (NHS England » Tobacco dependency programme)

Whittington Health is committed to helping its patients to tackle their tobacco dependency.  Tobacco dependency is a long-term condition and addiction that requires specialist treatment.

We provide personalised advice, behavioural support and treatment plans in line with NICE guidelines to help our service users effectively treat their tobacco dependency.

The most effective treatment for tobacco dependency is a combination of NHS funded medication alongside specialist behaviour change support. These treatments can include a combination of Nicotine replacement therapy and varenicline or cytisine alongside specialist behaviour change intervention, all these treatments can be facilitated by Whittington Health.

Treatment for Inpatients:

What to Expect:
  • To be asked about your tobacco use status and history during your attendance at the Whittington.
  • To be offered medication to treat tobacco dependency in hospital.
  • To be given very brief advice on treating tobacco dependency
  • To be seen by the Whittington Tobacco dependency specialist service.

What is available:

  • Tobacco dependency medication is available to be prescribed on all inpatient adult wards. This includes Nicotine replacement therapy, cytisine and varenicline.
  • All adult inpatients are eligible to be reviewed by the Whittington tobacco dependency specialist service
  • Speak to you your health care professional while at the hospital about being referred to the Whittington Tobacco dependency service
  • Inpatient tobacco users can be referred for on going tobacco dependency treatment with there local stop smoking teams and can be followed up by the in-house service for up to 3 months over the telephone.
  • All adult inpatients can be seen face to face by a tobacco dependency specialist during their inpatient stay. Just ask your treating team to prescribe you to the tobacco dependency service for review.
Available medication at Whittington Health:
  • Nicotine Replacement therapy (patches, oral spray, inhalator, gum, lozenges, sublingual tablets and nasal spray).
  • Varenicline
  • Cytisine

Treatment for Outpatients:
 
All outpatients can be prescribed appropriate tobacco dependency treatment medication by their outpatient clinician.

All outpatients can be referred for ongoing tobacco dependency treatment and tobacco dependency and stop smoking support with their local stop smoking team in the area where they live. Please ask you health care professional to refer you for further tobacco dependency treatment.

You can self-refer to your local stop smoking team via their respective websites and service contact details.

Treatment for those receiving Maternity care:

It is recognised that stopping smoking tobacco can be extremely challenging and this is no less the case during pregnancy. Smoking tobacco is the single most important modifiable risk factor in pregnancy and so at the Whittington we provide specialist tobacco dependency intervention to tobacco smokers throughout their antenatal care and for a short period postnatally. This is to support them to have a smoke free pregnancy.

The Maternity tobacco dependency service provides outpatient clinic support for all tobacco dependent maternity patients throughout the pregnancy. This includes face to face and telephone support, the provision of nicotine replacement therapy and behaviour change intervention in order to develop a tobacco dependency care plan tailored to their specific needs.

General Enquiries

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Useful resources

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm
Last updated21 Nov 2025
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