Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service

Smoker’s guide to coping in a smoke-free hospital

If you think you might have problems stopping and are worried about coping in hospital without your cigarettes, we suggest the following tips:

• Do not take cigarettes and lighters into hospital
• Avoid taking in clothes that smell of smoke
• Ask family and friends not to smoke before visiting
• Distract your mind from thoughts of smoking by reading, TV or doing crosswords/sudoku
• Have a bottle of drinking water close to hand
• Switch to a different drink like orange juice if you usually have a cigarette with your tea or coffee
• Have healthy snacks like fruit or vegetables close to hand
• Use Nicotine Replacement treatment like patches or gum to help you not to smoke.

Want to quit smoking while in hospital?

We have stop smoking advisers working in the Royal Hallamshire , Northern General and Jessops hospitals that can provide support for you if you wish to quit whilst in hospital. This is for patients, relatives/visitors and staff.

We can also refer you to the Sheffield Stop Smoking Service out in the community when you are discharged from hospital.

All hospital departments can refer you to the NHS Stop Smoking Service for support and information on quitting.

Or you can contact the Sheffield NHS Stop Smoking Service on free phone 0800 068 4490 (calls are answered 24 hours a day)

Just speak to your consultant, nurse, GP or pharmacist about quitting and they can arrange support for you if you want it.

Our Hospitals and grounds are smokefree

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust operates a Smoke Free Policy; this means that smoking is not allowed in its buildings and only in designated areas of the grounds.