New clinical stop smoking guidelines launched

New national clinical effectiveness guidelines to help healthcare professionals assist adults to stop smoking were launched today.

This new guideline was developed by a multidisciplinary development group led by the HSE Tobacco Free Ireland programme. The guideline development group was chaired by Dr Paul Kavanagh  Public Health Medicine Specialist.

“Smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease, disability and premature death in Ireland,” said Dr Kavanagh.

“These new national clinical guidelines describe the evidence-based best practice for healthcare professionals providing people help to stop smoking. For people who smoke, the guidelines give certainty on the safe, good quality care they can expect,” he added.

“Because of the robust and comprehensive guideline development process overseen by the national clinical effectiveness committee, both healthcare professionals and people who smoke can have confidence that the recommendations are safe, clinically sound and most of all work.  

“We look forward to working with healthcare professionals and the public to implement these guidelines in day-to-day practice across the health services and working with them towards a tobacco free Ireland.”  

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer said “the guideline has been quality assured by the national clinical effectiveness committee (NCEC) in line with international best practice and has undergone public consultation and international expert review. Ireland now has comprehensive, high-quality evidence based clinical guidelines to support healthcare professionals and citizens as we move towards our tobacco free Ireland target.”   

Welcoming the publication today, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said “the development of this national clinical guideline on stop smoking is a major step forward in that it will strengthen the identification and treatment of tobacco addiction by health professionals across both primary and secondary care settings.”