BLF Report – Less help to quit

This document was originally published in July 2018.

As smoking is the leading preventable cause of death, addressing it is the responsibility of the entire health service.

However, national cuts to public health funding are predicted to total over £600 million by 2021. A growing number of CCGs have therefore taken the decision to stop GPs from prescribing clinically effective medication for smoking in order to cut costs.

The recommendations from the British Lung Foundation’s report include:

• The UK government should reverse the cuts to public health funding for local authorities.
• CCGs should repeal guidance to GPs that revokes their right to prescribe stop smoking medication.
• Commissioners of stop smoking services should remove unfair restrictions from contracts regarding which, and how many, approved stop smoking products can be prescribed.