Stop Smoking

NHS Lothian Pharmacy Stop Smoking Service

Quit Your Way Scotland is an advice and support service for anyone trying to stop smoking in Scotland.

 

***ESSENTIAL INFORMATION***

We know there's a lot of information in this section, so if you've just joined community pharmacy and need to get up to speed quickly, here are our TOP 3 tips....

1) Pharmacists and teams should complete Turas training before providing this service - NHS Scotland Smoking Cessation service | Turas | Learn

2) Pharmacists and technicians should have PCR access and associate daily, to record all smoking cessation contacts in a timely manner. We've now got an updated quick user guide (Feb 2024) on how to enter smoking cessation records onto PCR.

3) Keep up-to-date on current formulary recommendations for stop smoking products - Formulary | East Region Formulary (nhs.scot)

 

Did You Know?

There is now also a Lothian-based Pharmacy Assist Team to support community pharmacy teams. If you require any smoking cessation support, carbon monoxide supplies or would be interested in some training then please email ‘PAT’ at loth.qywpat@nhs.scot

 

CO Monitors (Update September 2023)

All pharmacies identified as needing a new carbon monoxide (CO) monitor should now have one.   A number of useful short videos by the manufacturer on how to use the CO monitor are available on YouTube at:  http://tinyurl.com/3bhdzrps

The videos show you how to take normal readings, maternity readings and ambient readings.  They also show how to store the patient's reading on the CO monitor if you wish to.  In addition, the PAT team can supply your pharmacy with some CO reading and appointment cards if these would be helpful.  This will allow you to record their weekly CO readings and the patient's next appointment's date and time which you can then give to the patient to take away with them.

Please remember to wipe the monitor and D-piece after each patient ideally with non-alcoholic wipes.  Further Infection control guidance from the manufacturer can be found here.

 

Smoking Cessation Overview

In general, anyone who wishes to attempt smoking cessation can either:

  • contact the Quit Your Way for initial consultation - the Quit Your Way team then sends an NRT product recommendation to the patient's preferred pharmacy [patient quit data is NOT entered into the PCR system]

  • use the 'walk in' service at any pharmacy - pharmacy carries out consultation with patient, dispenses NRT products and provides support over the 12 week attempt period [patient quit attempt data IS entered into the PCR system]

 

Clients accessing the QYW specialist service will be recommended either NRT or varenicline.

    • For NRT, the request form will usually be emailed to the pharmacy nominated by the patient. NRT supplied in response to a QYW specialist request should be processed through the Universal Claims Framework facility on your pharmacy’s system.
    • For varenicline, the QYW team will request a prescription from the patient's GP practice; the prescription is processed as normal by the receiving pharmacy. [Note: as at Feb 2024, varenicline supplies are still out-of-stock]
    • No entry should be made onto the PCR (Pharmacy Care Record) system for any patients referred by QYW!

NOTE: Data entry on the PCR is still required for patients supported to stop smoking via the walk-in pharmacy service - as a result, ALWAYS tick the 'No' radio button in the "Shared Care?" question in the Initial Data Capture screen for the patient.  This avoids duplicate reporting of the same patient's attempt via pharmacy and Quit Your Way.

 

Important update - PCR Association

As of June 2022, due to technical incompatibilities with certain web browsers, pharmacies will need to associate with PCR not via the old webpage login, but via the new downloadable app.
 
All multiple chains' IT departments should have already downloaded this app icon (it says ‘PCRUA Win Client’ or 'PCR UA' icon and looks like a square with a key and an arrow) onto the desktop of all pharmacy branches.  If you are a small chain or independent pharmacy without an IT department, you will need to download this yourself once.  If your pharmacy still doesn't have this, talk to your IT department or download the app - you can find instructions via this link (you can only do this via a secure dispensary computer):  http://www.eps.nds.scot.nhs.uk/Downloads/PCRUA/index.html

Once downloaded, users should see this icon on their desktop and click it to start the association process for that day.

 

Useful Documents and Links:

Lothian Clinic Times and Venues in each Locality (updated Nov 2023):                                                                                       

Edinburgh

East and Mid Lothian

West Lothian