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Fewer smokers quitting through NHS services

The numbers of smokers quitting through NHS smoking cessation services has fallen for the second year running, official statistics show.

Around 300,539 people successfully quit in 2013/14 – a 20% fall from the 373,872secondary smokers who managed to kick the habit in 2012/13. However the quit rate remained the same at 50%, according to figures come from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC).

Meanwhile the number of smokers who set a quit date also fell by 19% in 2013/14 compared to the year before, representing the first time the number has fallen in two consecutive years since the current services were set up across England in 2000. 

In 2013/14 the over 60s age group had the highest percentage of people who successfully quit, at 58%. In contrast, the under-18 age group had the lowest proportion of people who successfully quit, at 39%.

HSCIC chair Kingsley Manning said: ‘There has been a large decline in the number of people setting a quit date this year through using the NHS Stop Smoking Services. However, the fact that the success rate has remained at over 50% demonstrates that this service helps patients who want to stop smoking.’

The North East reported the highest rate of people quitting, at 932 per 100,000. The lowest rate was in the South East, where the figure was 567 per 100,000.


          

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