NHS West Sussex Health & wellbeing for life

Find out here about all of the free NHS services available to support you as you go smokefree. They are available for everyone, no matter what age you are or how long you have smoked. We support hundreds of people to go smokefree each year – why don’t you join them?

You can explore the options below, or if you are not sure where to start please call our local NHS Smoking Helpline on 0300 100 1823. Our trained, NHS advisers can talk you through the options and help you to decide what would suit you best.

There are more than 150 places to get support from the NHS to stop smoking in West Sussex. Find out more below and see which one will suit you:

Group sessions
Group sessions are a fun and sociable way to quit smoking. These groups last for six weeks and are a very effective way to stop smoking. There are around 15-20 people in each group, and the session is run by a trained stop smoking advisor.

Quitting with other people in the same boat can be really effective and many group members, who have successfully quit, recommend them to friends and colleagues.

The group sessions start a couple of weeks before you go smokefree. Your first sessions help you to plan and prepare to quit. After you go smokefree your group will meet each week for advice and motivation.

Groups are held all over West Sussex. If you are interested in getting involved in a group call 0300 100 1823.

Drop-in sessions
Drop-in sessions are ideal if you’re a commuter or can’t get access to support during the day. They are held across West Sussex and are usually in the evening.

You will get support from one of our trained specialist stop smoking advisors who can offer you help and support, including follow up advice on a one-to-one basis or through a group session. They can also offer the same medication and methods that you would find at your own GP surgery.

You don’t need to book, just turn up!

• Bewbush Community Centre - Wednesdays 10.30am-12.30pm
• Bognor Regis War Memorial Hospital in Marion’s Restaurant – Wednesdays 5.30-7.15pm
• Crawley Hospital in the Antenatal Department – Tuesdays 10am-1pm
• Crawley Hospital in the Physiotherapy Department, Ground Floor – Wednesdays 7-8.30pm
• East Grinstead Library Children and Family Centre – Tuesdays 9.30-11.30am
• Haywards Heath, Princess Royal Hospital – Mondays 5-6pm
• Rustington Village Hall - Mondays 6pm to 8pm
• Worthing, Durrington Community Centre – Mondays and Thursdays 4-6pm
• Worthing, The Strand, Goring-by-Sea – Tuesdays 4.30-5.30pm

Children and Family Centres
Parents and pregnant women who smoke can often feel guilty about their habit, and this can stop them getting the support they need. Our service aims to be friendly, and not to judge anyone. We are there for people to drop in, have a chat, get some advice, or to find out how we can help them to stop smoking.

Children and Family Centres offer support in:

• Bognor Regis
• Chichester
• Fishergate
• Lancing
• Littlehampton
• Midhurst
• Petworth
• Selsey
• ThorneyIsland
• Worthing

 If you are interested in this support please call our helpline 0300 100 1823 to find out what is available in your area.

Individual support
If stop smoking groups aren’t for you, expert advice is still available. You can meet a stop smoking advisor one-to-one at a time to suit you, and there are advisors all over West Sussex. You will meet your advisor and they will talk about your smoking habits and will help you decide what type of treatment you would like to use.

You will then receive ongoing help and support from your specialist stop smoking advisor to support you to stay smokefree and to cope with the withdrawals from nicotine.

If you are interested in finding your local NHS stop smoking advisor to help you, please call 0300 100 1823.

GP practices
You can get NHS stop smoking support at more than 90 GP practices across West Sussex.

If you would like to make your quit attempt with your GP, book an appointment and talk to your GP or trained advisor at the practice about why you want to stop smoking.

They will be able to help you make a plan for your attempt, advise you on treatment which may help and provide ongoing support whilst you quit.

If you are not registered with a GP practice but would like to quit with support at a practice please follow this link to find one closest to you taking on new patients .

Pharmacies
West Sussex pharmacies offer a free stop smoking service with specialist help and advice. They also offer a voucher scheme for anyone wanting to stop smoking, which means you can now get patches, gum, lozenges and inhalators for as little as £2.50 a week per product for a 12 week course. You can get the products free if you are eligible for free prescriptions.

If you want a private chat, pharmacists for have consulting rooms for one-to-one support.

Just call into your local pharmacy and book a time to suit you!

Workplaces
If you want to quit at work and have workmates that want to join you to go smokefree, give us a call and we can talk about setting up stop smoking sessions at your workplace!

Call us on 0300 100 1823.

How long does a course of treatment last?
Any treatment will be explained in detail by a health professional. However, courses of NRT generally last about twelve weeks, and Zyban nine weeks.

How much will advice and treatment cost?
NHS services like stop smoking groups and one to one advice are free. Any treatment (NRT, Zyban) is available on prescription so you only pay the prescription charge. If you dont pay for your prescriptions then treatment is free.

I don’t live in West Sussex, can I use the service?
Yes, if you work in West Sussex, or it’s convenient for you to visit, then you are welcome to use the West Sussex stop smoking service.

I don’t have much time to give up smoking, what can I do?
We have stop smoking groups, drop in sessions and trained pharmacists. Advisors are available all over West Sussex and during both days and evenings. You can also get support at your local GP surgery or pharmacy. There should be something to suit you.

Call us on 0300 100 1823. We can then let you know about your nearest groups, one to one advisors or drop in sessions. We can also answer any other questions you have.