Hartlepool Borough Council help staff quit smoking
In 2010 Hartlepool Stop Smoking Service had the
highest 4-week quit rate in England.
A year later Hartlepool Borough Council brought
the stop smoking scheme into their
own workplace to help employees quit.
This was an action in line with their bronze awarded
health at work programme and they're now striving
for silver.
The big countdown...
A few weeks prior No Smoking Day the
Hartlepool Borough Council’s group of health advocates started a
countdown to the event. Being the organisation's health
promotion champions they put together
and circulated emails reminding people about
getting ready to quit smoking and helped raise
awareness amongst staff. Information to staff included how
to contact the stop smoking service,
illegal tobacco issues and the negative
health effects of tobacco.
Not only did the council want to increase
awareness amongst staff but also prevent school
children from getting into a smoking
habit. Pupils at a local school worked closely together
with the council to develop and design calendars
with a stop smoking theme to be displayed around
the workplace. The Health Advocates put up No Smoking Day posters across
the organisation so that people got ready for the big
day.
...to No Smoking Day
On No Smoking Day the time to quit smoking had
come. When employees entered the office on 9 March 2011 they faced
a big no tobacco display and during the busy lunch
hour it seemed impossible to pass the foyer without noticing
the campaign. The Health Advocates handed out leaflets and
signposted employees to the local stop smoking
service. Employees with a smoking family member or friend
received information on second-hand smoking and
booklets to bring home. Having a positive perspective on
health is highly valued at Hartlepool Borough Council. No Smoking
Day is about encouraging and
helping smokers
to stop.
To ensure everyone would feel included the
council also organised a lunchtime quiz for
staff. What would be a better idea than asking
participants about their knowledge in smoking-related
songs and musicians such as Smokey Robinson and
Ash? The quiz created a friendly and
positive atmosphere which is very important as
they are working towards the silver level of the North East Better
Health at Work Award.
Working with local organisations 
Working with other
organisations is a great way to ensure
success. In addition to the resources from
the local stop smoking service and the No Smoking Day organisation,
the local Further Education College donated a prize to the winner
of the quiz. The stop smoking and health-oriented calendars
designed by schoolchildren were distributed to businesses across
the borough via the Hartlepool Healthy Workplace Forum. Local media
really liked this cross-sectional work which gave the event
good publicity. The day was also very successful
in raising awareness of other workplace health activities too.
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