A new campaign at Airedale General Hospital is helping patients have shorter and safer hospital visits by stopping smoking.
Patients who go to the hospital for elective surgical procedures at the hospital will be encouraged to quit smoking ahead of their operations through a new partnership initiative with Bradford Council’s Department of Public Health.
Their clinic team will advise them on how they can quit using their local stop smoking service in consultations before their operation.
Smokers are at increased risk from complications and heal slower meaning that quitting before an operation, even a few days earlier, can have an impact on a patient’s recovery.
Smokers are four times more likely to successfully quit with the support of the district’s stop smoking service than quitting alone.
Joanne Nykol, Tobacco lead for Bradford Council, said: "Quitting smoking won’t delay your operation but it could make a significant difference to your recovery.”
"No one wants to be in hospital longer than they planned to and no-one wants to be readmitted because of complications. Quitting not only helps the patient, but also saves the NHS money on additional care.”
"We also know that two third of smokers want to quit smoking and that quitting is the single most important thing people can do to improve their health. This could be the encouragement they need to quit for good .”
Karl Mainprize, medical director at Airedale NHS Foundation Trust (pictured) said:
"Smokers need more anaesthetic and have a higher risk of anaesthetic complications because they need extra oxygen causing their hearts to work harder.
"Not many people know your wounds heal more slowly and bones don’t knit together as fast if you smoke. You also have a higher chance of getting chest infections and are more likely to be re-admitted to hospital with problems.”
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