Taking a 'one health system' approach to smoking cessation, this initative has seen dramatic numbers of people in our community stop smoking. 

Smokers admitted to Canterbury hospitals are now given nicotine patches to help them with withdrawal. To continue this support once they're discharged, we've partnered with the Canterbury District Health Board to get patients fully funded nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)when they go home.

"This collaboration enables patients, who start NRT while in hospital, to continue seamlessly to be smokefree until they are enrolled with their GP team in the smoking cessation PEGS programme or with another provider," says Vivien Daley, CDHB Smokefree Manager. "A managed transition is important so that patients are able to build on the interventions that have taken place in the hospitals.

"The programme has seen more than7000 prescriptions filled for nicotine replacement therapy in the five years it has been running, with encouraging numbers of these people also enrolling in our smoking cessation programme