NEWS
SMOKING STATISTICS FOR 2014/15
The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety has published statistics relating to smoking cessation services for 2014/15.
The information released provides information on people reporting to smoking cessation services throughout Northern Ireland during the year 2014/15.
Key Findings Within Northern Ireland during 2014/15:
• A total of 21,779 people set a quit date through the smoking cessation services. This is a decrease of 5,091 (19%) on the same period last year.
• Of those setting a quit date, 2% were under 18 years of age, 35% were aged 18-34, 22% were aged 35-44, 27% were aged 45-59, and 14% were aged 60 and over.
• Two-thirds of all clients (67%) that set a quit date used smoking cessation services provided by pharmacists (14,671 clients in total). Around three-fifths of these clients (58%) had successfully quit at 4 weeks.
• Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) was the most popular therapeutic intervention, with 74% of those who set a quit date having used this therapy.
• At the 4-week follow-up 12,742 reported that they had successfully quit, 59% of those setting a quit date.
• The 4-week success rate was 60% for males and 57% for females. Success at 4 weeks increased with age, from 47% for those aged 11 to 17, to 62% for those aged 60 and over.
• At the 4-week follow-up, 26% reported that they had not successfully quit. Of these, 58% had reduced their smoking intake and 37% indicated that they intend to rejoin the smoking cessation programme.
• Of the 383 young people (aged 11 to 17) who set a quit date, 47% reported to have successfully quit at the 4-week follow-up, 38% indicated that they were still smoking, and 15% were not able to be contacted for the follow-up.
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President of the Pharmaceutical Society NI, Dr Jim Livingstone said he regarded the laying of the Annual Report as an early milestone in helping the organisation develop its role as a modern regulator of the pharmacy profession during his years in office.
“Effective regulation in healthcare is undoubtedly a key component in the continuous effort to ensure patient safety and public confidence in the pharmacy profession as well as high quality health services in general. These are objectives to which I am passionately committed and I know that the high standards that characterise pharmacy today in Northern Ireland provide an excellent basis on which to progress,” he said.
“Throughout the report you will see how we have progressed against our Corporate Strategy and continue to deliver effective local regulation. The Professional Standards Authority annually assess the performance of all nine UK healthcare regulators and last year we were one of only five who met at least 23 of the PSA’s 24 Standards of Good Regulation.
“Recognising the continued influence the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry (the Francis Report) has over the health service and health care regulation, we have continued to make developments against its findings and recommendations. This last year saw the launch of a consultation on proposals for a new Code of Ethics for pharmacists in Northern Ireland, with a new focus on the professional duty of candour. The organisation also reviewed its ‘Raising Concerns Guidance’, and has begun conversations with those delivering pharmacy services in Northern Ireland concerning the need for adequate whistle blowing policies.”
Looking forward Dr Livingstone spoke of his intention to review the governance structures going forward.
Mr Trevor Patterson, Chief Executive, PSNI, Minister for Health Simon Hamilton, PSNI President Dr Jim Livingstone and Fearghal McKinney, SDLP
“I plan to do this over the next year,” he added. “It is vital that the governance of the organisation moving forward is effective, modern, and fit for purpose. Much has been achieved in the last year and I am confident that even more can be achieved in 2015/16.”
Chief Executive Trevor Patterson looked ahead at two major consultations which will form the basis for focus in 2016.
“We continue to fully participate in the UK wide initiative on “ Rebalancing Pharmacy Legislation and Professional Regulation” – so far this year two consultations have been concluded, one on dispensing errors in primary care and the other on standards for registered pharmacies. We anticipate that both initiatives will pass into legislation before the end of 2015,” he says.
“Looking forward we will be working on Responsible and Superintendent Pharmacist Standards and bringing forward a further consultation on dispensing errors in secondary care in the next phase of this work. “The work on dispensing errors is particularly important as it is designed, with the removal of the threat of criminal prosecution in specified circumstances, to encourage and facilitate more reporting of errors and near misses. These reports will be used by a central body to identify trends and “hot spots” for errors and to disseminate learning with a view to reducing error rates and improving practice.”
Within the Annual Report was also contained the Report of the Pharmacy Forum for Northern Ireland. In signing off in her final year as Chairperson, Dr Kate McClelland wished new Chair Roberta Tasker well with taking their work forward.
The Pharmacy Forum Board have been actively working on a number of joint stakeholder projects including the
Rebalancing Pharmacy Legislation Programme Board , Falsified Medicines Directive (EU) , Health Plus Pharmacy Alliance, Medicines Optimisation Framework and the Making it Better through Community Pharmacy Implementation plan.
“I feel that professional leadership is core to help us as pharmacists transform our role, lead on best practice and become an even more integral part of the Health Service. Our role as the medicines experts is recognised as a key skill in helping more and more people deal with increasing co-morbidities and the ever increasing health challenges” says Dr McClelland.
“We cannot do this alone; we must work with our healthcare colleagues. As part of a multidisciplinary workforce in healthcare we must bring together colleagues with the necessary knowledge, skills and experience to ensure the best outcome for the patient in truly integrated care pathways.
“This year the Donaldson Report, a major review of the Health and Social care in Northern Ireland, was published. I was delighted to see recommendation two from the report included; “We recommend that a new costed, timetabled implementation plan for Transforming your Care should be produced quickly.
“We further recommend that two projects with the potential to reduce the demand on hospital beds should be launched immediately: the first, to create a greatly expanded role for pharmacists; the second, to expand the role of paramedics in pre-hospital care.”
“The Pharmacy Forum NI will continue to call for the Minister of Health, Social Services and Public Safety to implement this recommendation.”
Moving forward to be fit for purpose
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