Evidence into Practice: Smoking: Acute, maternity and mental health services NICE Guidance PH48

Smoking is the largest cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in England and half the difference in life expectancy between the richest and poorest is attributable to differences in smoking prevalence.

This briefing sets out the recommendations of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance PH48: Smoking: acute, maternity and mental health services, on the support that should be available to smokers accessing mental health services.

This briefing is aimed at professionals working in smokefree mental health services but may also be of use to people working in local public health teams and associated services who are supporting the implementation of PH48.

PH48 guidance aims to support smoking cessation, temporary abstinence from smoking and smokefree policies in all secondary care settings. There are 15 recommendations, 14 of which relate to mental health services. The information below sets out these recommendations in more detail with case studies from mental health trusts that are effectively implementing key components of the guidance.