People in North Sheffield who want to quit smoking can now take advantage of two free and convenient drop-in centres, being piloted in the city by the Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service.
It is the first time the service has launched informal drop-in sessions at these community venues.
Stocksbridge Leisure Centre will be running Stop Smoking programmesevery Monday from 16th October at 5.30-7.30pm, while sessions at the 393 Club Youth Community Centre on Langsett Road, Hillsborough, will begin on 25th October, and take place every Wednesday at the same time.
Both Drop-in centres provide individual one-to-one support sessions, with trained stop smoking advisers on hand to give advice on quitting and how to cope with withdrawal and craving. All Stop Smoking programmes include nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as patches, on NHS prescription.
After making an initial appointment to see a qualified Stop Smoking Advisor at one of the venues, people are then free to drop in to their respective weekly clinic anytime between the 5.30-7.30pm time slot.
Malcolm Simpson, Service Manager for the Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service, said: “This free drop-in service is perfect for people who may work, or have other commitments during the day, as the venues are on main bus and commuter routes in areas that did not offer this kind of one to one service”.
“We hope that people will now find it even easier to come along and take advantage of this great free service, at a location to suit them. Our Stop Smoking programmes, which give smokers support from a specialist advisor and provides nicotine patches on prescription, are proven to be many more times effective in helping people quit than if they try to stop smoking on their own.”
Malcolm added: “By offering drop-in sessions close to people’s homes, we hope to break down some of the barriers that may have stopped people using the service in the past, such as the need to travel to a session at an unfamiliar venue.”
If the pilots are successful, the Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service hope to roll out more drop-in centres at other locations across Sheffield.
Anyone wishing to make an initial appointment for the NHS Stop Smoking Service drop-in centre at the 393 Youth Club Community Centre, Hillsborough, should call the Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service on 0800 068 4490 (Calls will not be charged). For the session at Stocksbridge Leisure Centre, please call the main reception on 0114 288 3792 to make your initial appointment.
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