The Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service is encouraging smokers to mark World Health Day 2006, by taking advantage of the comprehensive support and advice available in the city, to help them quit the habit for good.
Terry Hatter, 29, from Parson Cross, has been a Stores Operative at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital since 2005. His role is to ensure that the correct drugs and IV fluids are sent to nurses on the wards, at the city’s Hallamshire and Jessops Hospitals.
Terry and his partner Emma, recently became parents after the birth of their first son Connor. When Emma fell pregnant, Terry decided to contact the Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service and find his nearest quit group, after seeing posters advertising the service at the Hallamshire Hospital.
Terry said: “I’d been a smoker for almost 12 years, and regularly smoked between 15-20 cigarettes a day. When we found out that we were expecting our first child, I wanted to be as healthy as possible by stopping smoking, and give Connor the best possible start in life.
“I contacted the Stop Smoking Service and went to sessions during my lunch break at work. This really helped me, as lunch time was when I was most likely to have a cigarette.”
He added: “I found the first two weeks quite hard, but the support and advice I received from the smoking midwives at the quit group really helped me through that difficult period. I have now been a non-smoker for about six weeks, and I’m determined to stay quit. I have recommended this brilliant service to some of my friends who still smoke.”
John Soady, Assistant Director of Public Health at Sheffield West Primary Care Trust, said: “World Health Day this year is about the people involved in providing healthcare, and it is fantastic to see NHS staff such as Terry taking the initiative and making healthy choices in his own life such as stopping smoking. And the NHS make these programmes available to all smokers who wish to stop through the NHS Stop Smoking Service.”
You can contact the Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service on 0800 068 4490 (you won’t be charged for the call) or by visiting www.sheffieldstopsmoking.org.uk . All programmes include nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches, on NHS prescription.
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