Smoking rates in Norfolk are lower than the national average, yet many people still face significant challenges when trying to quit, according to the latest research from Healthwatch Norfolk.
The independent evaluation, commissioned by Norfolk County Council’s Public Health team, gathered the views of local residents through a survey, focus groups and discussions with community matrons to better understand people’s experiences of smoking cessation services in Norfolk.
Mixed experiences
One of the key findings was that many people are unaware of the support available to help them stop smoking, and that experiences of that support varied considerably. Only around half of survey respondents had heard of Smokefree Norfolk or GP-based smoking cessation services, while awareness of other support options was lower. Participants in focus groups often said they were unsure where to go for help or what services were available locally.
Some residents described positive outcomes after receiving regular contact from advisors, nicotine replacement therapy or prescription medication, while others reported difficulties accessing the support they felt they needed. Long waiting times, limited availability of face-to-face appointments and difficulty accessing prescription medications were some of the concerns raised.
Community matrons mentioned frustrations when referring patients to smoking cessation services, citing delays, lack of feedback and uncertainty over referral progress, while other participants described services varying depending on where they lived and which GP practice they were registered with.
Fear, stress and mental wellbeing among the biggest barriers
The most commonly reported barrier to stopping smoking was the stress, anxiety and fear associated with quitting. Many participants described smoking as an important coping mechanism for managing stress, poor mental health and difficult life circumstances. Others described not wanting to stop and a lack of support from friends and family as reasons for still smoking.
Many noted that smoking is often linked to wider issues, such as mental wellbeing, and felt that support services should address these underlying factors as well as nicotine addiction itself.
Recommendations
The report makes a number of recommendations, including improving consistency of support across Norfolk, increasing awareness of available services, improving communication and responsiveness and expanding personalised and holistic support options.
Responding to the findings, Professor Derek Ward, Director of Public Health at Norfolk County Council, thanked the participants of the research for their valued insight and said the council would work with providers and partners to review service delivery, referral processes and variations in access, while strengthening communication with both residents and healthcare professionals.
The findings highlight that while smoking cessation support is available across Norfolk, greater awareness, improved access and more personalised approaches could help more people successfully quit smoking and stay smoke-free in the long term.
Download the full report here.