This document aims to inform and guide healthcare staff in NHS Wales about how to start nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to manage nicotine withdrawal in adults who smoke and are admitted to hospital (secondary care). The document covers supporting patients who wish to start a quit attempt; patients who do not wish to start a quit attempt but want to have NRT to manage nicotine withdrawal while in hospital; as well as out-patients, patients’ families and friends, and hospital staff.
The document defines the roles and responsibilities of healthcare staff (nurses, doctors, pharmacists and smoking cessation practitioners) at admission to hospital, during an in-patient stay and at discharge. It describes initial assessment and prescribing of NRT, prescribing of additional “when required” NRT products, and providing additional support and advice to patients. It also summarises the training available for healthcare staff. The document is intended to be used alongside the AWMSG-endorsed All Wales Guide: Pharmacotherapy for Smoking Cessation.
⇩ Initial Clinical Management of Adult Smokers in Secondary Care 480KB (PDF) |
(Published June 2021)
Supporting resource - Brief guide for wards
A 'Patient access to NRT while in hospital - Brief guide for wards' document has also been produced, including key recommendations from the main guidance. This is provided as a Word document template, and can be modified to suit the needs of individual hospital sites.
⇩ Patient access to nicotine replacement treatment (NRT) while in hospital - Brief guide 191KB (Word document) |
(Published June 2021)