The Treating Tobacco Dependency team offers support to all hospitalised patients who use tobacco products.
All sites in the Northern Care Alliance are smoke free, meaning there is no smoking permitted in the hospital or on hospital grounds.
If you are admitted to any of the Northern Care Alliance hospitals (Fairfield General, Rochdale Infirmary, The Royal Oldham or Salford Royal) and identified as a current tobacco user, you will be referred to the Treating Tobacco Dependency team. We currently do not offer support to vape users to stop vaping as we are a Tobacco Dependency team only. However, vape users can be supported to stop or take a temporary abstinence with nicotine replacement therapy through their wards medical team.
The team will provide guidance and support throughout your hospital stay, whether you are aiming to manage withdrawal symptoms and maintain a temporary abstinence, or to fully support you to quit using tobacco for good with the help of various medications, nicotine replacement therapy or vapes.
A trained tobacco dependency advisor will contact you during your admission to offer:
- Provision of nicotine replacement therapy and/or other medications to relieve cravings for nicotine.
- Behavioural support and guidance for tobacco dependency
- An onward referral to a community led tobacco dependency team or local pharmacy upon discharge from hospital.
All support is offered to patients to maintain a temporary abstinence from tobacco while in hospital, or to make a quit attempt.
When you're admitted to the ward, a member of the Treating Tobacco Dependency team will contact you within 48 hours. They will spend some time getting to know you and assessing your dependency to nicotine.
The advisor will explain all the support available to you during your hospital stay.
This support may include nicotine replacement products such as patches, inhalators, lozenges, chewing gum, micro-tabs, nasal sprays, and oral sprays. Additionally, medications like Varenicline (previously known by the brand name Champix), Cytisine, or a vape device may also be offered.
The advisor will also provide continued behavioural support throughout your hospital stay, and a further referral can be made on discharge to a community led Tobacco Dependency service.
You are three times more likely to quit tobacco for good with the support of a Tobacco Dependency team and appropriate medication.
- Fairfield General and Rochdale Infirmary
- Royal Oldham
- Salford Royal
When admitted to the hospital please let your nurse know that you are a current tobacco user. This allows them to ensure a referral has been sent to the appropriate team.
If you have not been seen within 48 hours, or wish to be seen again, please ask your nurse to contact the appropriate team.
Community Teams
Bury Live Well: Tel: 0161 253 7554
Living Well Rochdale: 01706 392 210
Your Health Oldham: 0161 960 0255
Be Smoke Free Greater Manchester: 0300 123 1044
Smoke Free app (downloadable phone app)
NHS better Health (Online and/or downloadable phone app)
Rochdale and Oldham Active Recovery team (Drug and Alcohol support)
Bury Achieve (Drug and Alcohol Support)