500 South Yorkshire residents successfully quit smoking through the Targeted Lung Health Check Programme 

As part of the lung health check, any current smokers will be asked if they would like support to help stop smoking, and the Programme reached a fantastic milestone recently – 500 people have given up smoking with the help of our smoking cessation partner organisations.

Dr Jason Page, Clinical Director of the Targeted Lung Health Check Programme in South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw, said: “This is a remarkable milestone to have achieved and everyone should be very proud of themselves. 

“The risks of smoking are widely known, but it is an addiction and it’s not always easy to quit.

“The cessation statistics speak for themselves, though: 257 in Doncaster, 118 in Bassetlaw, 72 so far in Rotherham, and 61 so far in Barnsley! The Programme is currently halfway through Rotherham and Barnsley, so we’re looking forward to seeing these numbers increase.”

For patients based in Barnsley, current smokers are offered support to quit with Yorkshire Smokefree Barnsley (YSB). Vernon and Elaine are just two of the success stories referred to YSB through the Targeted Lung Health Check Programme, and both agree they wished they had never started smoking at all.

Vernon said: “I had thought about stopping smoking before I was invited for my lung health check; my wife would keep saying I need to stop as I was the only one in my family that did. 

“I would tell my younger self to not start smoking at all. My dad smoked but didn’t want my siblings or me to smoke – I should have listened to him.”

Elaine added: “I’d never thought about stopping before, but I was thinking about my grandkids and was very determined to stop. 

“I can feel a difference in my health, and of course I’m saving money. I’m breathing more easily, I’m not coughing as much, and food tastes better. 

“I used patches and an Inhalator offered by YSB and they really helped. I have a lot more energy now to play with my grandchildren. 

“I wish I hadn’t started smoking in the 70s. Everyone was doing it though, and you followed the crowd. If I could go back, I’d say not to start.”

For more information on the Targeted Lung Health Checks, visit www.lunghealthchecks.co.uk and for smoking cessation services, visit www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/