The National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) has published a bespoke Standard Treatment Programme (STP), which has been commissioned by NHS England and NHS Improvement, for the national community pharmacy Smoking Cessation Service (SCS).

The original NCSCT STP provides guidance on delivering multi-session smoking cessation support. However, the new STP has been tailored for community pharmacists offering the SCS; providing guidance on delivering tobacco dependence treatment to patients following discharge from hospital.

Pharmacists offering the service will need to read the STP in full, as this is one of the training requirements specified in the service specification. However, the document is intended to be used as a reference during the different stages of consultations. It should be followed closely to guide pharmacists to provide effective and evidence-based behaviour change techniques to give patients the best chance of quitting.

It is acknowledged that the document is a ‘long-read’; however, it is intentionally designed to serve as a comprehensive guide that includes different scenarios and offers suggested ways to talk to patients and respond to common situations.

In addition to the STP, NCSCT has published the clinical checklists included in the STP as a separate document. This should allow pharmacists to use them as an aide memoir to ensure they cover everything required in each consultation.

NCSCT would welcome feedback to allow them to make improvements to the STP. A feedback form is available via the link below for submitting comments.

View the NCSCT STP documents and feedback form