Developing the public health role of a front line clinical service: Integrating stop smoking advice into routine podiatry services

Abstract

Background Although smoking is a major public health problem, many clinicians do not routinely provide evidence-based health improvement advice to smokers to help them to quit.MethodsPlan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle methodology was used to design and implement a service development so that health improvement advice for smokers featured in all podiatry consultations provided by a Primary Care Trust in North East England. IT systems were developed to record the number and proportion of patients for whom smoking status was assessed, and the number and proportion of smokers who were given advice to quit and referred for specialist support. A questionnaire to staff explored their perceptions of the development on their clinics and consultations.ResultsDuring a 6-month period, smoking status was recorded for all 8831 (100) patients attending podiatry clinics; 83 of smokers were given brief advice to quit; 7 of smokers were given help to access specialist stop smoking support services. Improvements were introduced within existing budgets and did not prolong clinics.ConclusionsIt is straightforward and inexpensive to develop clinical services so that public health guidance is routinely implemented. More widespread implementation of similar service developments could lead to national improvements in public health. © The Author 2007, Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved.