NHS stop smoking services quarterly
Local delivery plan standard 2023/24 (quarter 1)

About this release

This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) presents information on NHS Stop Smoking Services in Scotland and their progress towards their annual Local Delivery Plan (LDP) Standard. The LDP Standard for NHS Scotland sets a target number of successful 12-week quits based on a percentage (1.5%) of the estimated smoking population aged 16 plus in the 40% most deprived areas (60% in NHS Island Boards). In 2023/24 this target amounts to 7,026 individuals.

Main points

• During Q1 of 2023/24, NHS Scotland achieved 66% (1,161 quits out of 1,757) of the required quarterly LDP Standard.
• In the financial year 2023/24 reported so far, NHS Scotland had achieved 17% (1,161 quits out of 7,026) towards the required annual LDP standard.

Bar graph of NHS Health board performance against the LDP Standard.

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Scotland and NHS Board performance against the LDP Standard at end of Q1, 2023/24

• At the end of Q1, 1 out of 14 NHS Boards were on target to meet or exceed their annual LDP Standard. NHS Board performance against their annual LDP Standard ranged from 6% to 29%.
• During Q1, individuals accessing non-pharmacy services were recorded as still not smoking after 12 weeks at a rate of 42% and individuals accessing pharmacy based services were recorded as still not smoking after 12 weeks at a rate of 20%.

Background

In July 2005 a national smoking cessation database was set up to capture data on people presenting to NHS services in Scotland for help to stop smoking. The database is designed to collect the national minimum dataset for smoking cessation services from all 14 NHS Boards in Scotland. The minimum dataset is the mandatory client information required for national monitoring purposes, developed by PATH (Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health).

From July 2014, information about service activity and outcomes from pharmacy services was recorded through the smoking cessation support tool available in the Pharmacy Care Record. This forms part of the minimum dataset. The smoking cessation minimum data set is electronically submitted from Pharmacy Care Record to the national smoking cessation database.

Figures are based on total quit attempts set during the year, rather than total number of people with a quit attempt, so could include repeat quit attempts for the same person. The LDP Standard changed in 2018/19 to exclude quit attempts in prisons, therefore comparisons of quit attempts prior to 2018/19 are based on different definitions and are not valid.

Further information

Background to the national minimum dataset for smoking cessation services is available on our website.

The next release of this publication (financial year 2023/24 – quarter 2 data) will be March 2024.