Smoke Free Mental Health Services

Demonstration Project

Coventry and Warwickshire Mental Health and Smoking Training Project. April 2008 - March 2009

The aim of this project was to deliver training to NHS and non-statutory mental health workers to enable them to either raise the issue of smoking with clients effectively and signpost to stop smoking services, or to deliver intensive stop smoking interventions. For the full report click here.


Mental Health and Smoking - A Position Statement

The Faculty of Public Health together with other organisations have produced a Position Statement commenting on impact, implications and giving recommendations concerning people who smoke and have mental health issues.

To read this Position Statement follow this link.

Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre

The Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre (TCCC) was set up by the HDA in June 2004 with the overall aims of increasing knowledge and skills for tobacco control policy implementation and practice development among public health workers, and providing those working in the field of tobacco control with an authoritative source of advice, information and resources.

They currently publish two newsletters: 'Network News' and 'Smokefree Mental Health'. These newsletters can be downloaded below.

Network News

Smokefree Mental Health


Event Report

Smoking Cessation Support: Making it work for people with mental health problems

Centennial Centre
April 30th 2008

To access the presentations and the event evaluation please follow the links below:

  • Programme - click here
  • Welcome, introduction and background to the event - Presentation by CSIP West Midlands
  • Sharing Experiences:
    • Service User Experience - Service user stories
    • NHS Stop Smoking Services perspective - Presentation by South Birmingham Stop Smoking Services and Birmingham East and North NHS Stop Smoking Services
    • Demonstration Site One - Presentation by Coventry Stop Smoking Services and Warwickshire Stop Smoking Services
  • Preparing for the Future - Presentation by Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre
  • Demonstration Site Two - Presentation by South Staffs & Shropshire Foundation Trust/ Shropshire Help 2 Quit
  • Mental Health Services Perspective - Presentation by Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health trust
  • Local Action Planning - What you said you would do
  • Event Evaluation - click here

Smoke Free Mental Health Legislation and Support Programme

This was a 6 month programme of support for NHS, VCS and Private Mental Health service providers, as they prepare to meet their legal obligations for Smoke Free Mental Health services from the 1st July 2008. A key outcome for the programme has been strengthened partnership working between Local Stop Smoking Services and Mental Health Service Providers. The programme of work  was funded through the Department of Health and CSIP and co-ordinated by CSIP West Midlands.

CSIP West Midlands Smoke Free Mental Health Services and Support programme was run in conjunction with the Tobacco Control Collaborating Centre and also offered:

  • Telephone and email help lines
  • A quarterly mental health newsletter
  • A resource and support pack on CD ROM
  • An option to request a site visit from the TCCC to receive individual support and advice
  • Training for Mental Health Service Staff to provide Level 2 smoking cessation and related mental health issues for smoking cessation staff
  • Supporting 2 Demonstration Sites for improving delivery mechanisms for smoking cessation provision to mental health service clients

Smoke Free Law - Temporary Exception for Mental Health Units

You will be aware that from 1st of July 2007 virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces and work vehicles in England became smokefree.

Only a few premises will be exempt from the new smokefree law, and all exemptions are subject to strict conditions.

Until 1st July 2008 smoking may be allowed in a designated room for the use of patients aged 18 years or over in residential accommodation in a mental health unit.

To prepare for this change in the law CSIP West Midlands are running a support programme. Please see below for more details.

An Additional source of information can be found on our Public health page. This contains a link to the Regional Health and Well-being strategy which deals with smoke free issues in the chapter on the environment and health.

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