Smoking cessation services
This is an extract from the guidance. The complete guidance is available at guidance.nice.org.uk/ph10
Introduction
The Department of Health (DH) asked the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE or the Institute) to produce public health guidance on smoking cessation services.
This guidance supersedes 'Guidance on the use of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and bupropion for smoking cessation' (NICE technology appraisal guidance 39). It cross-references and is consistent with 'Brief interventions and referral for smoking cessation in primary care and other settings' (NICE public health guidance 1),'Workplace health promotion: how to help employees to stop smoking' (NICE public health guidance 5) and 'Varenicline for smoking cessation' (NICE technology appraisal guidance 123).
The guidance is for NHS and other professionals who have a direct or indirect role in – and responsibility for – smoking cessation services. This includes those working in local authorities and the community, voluntary and private sectors. It may also be of interest to members of the public who wish to give up smoking, including specific groups such as pregnant women and mothers of young children.
The Programme Development Group (PDG) has considered five reviews of the evidence on smoking cessation services, two reviews on nicotine replacement therapy, an expert paper, an economic appraisal, stakeholder comments and the results of fieldwork in developing these recommendations.
Details of membership of the PDG are given in appendix A. The methods used to develop the guidance are summarised in appendix B. Supporting documents used in the preparation of this document are listed in appendix E. Full details of the evidence collated, including fieldwork data and activities and stakeholder comments, are available on the NICE website, along with a list of the stakeholders involved and the Institute's supporting process and methods manuals.