24 December 2012
From January 2013, Help2Quit will be delivered by community pharmacies. It's hoped that extended weekends and evenings will make the service more convenient and easier to access.
Earlier this year, following an open tender, a group of community pharmacies won the contract to provide the service for the next three years. The service will continue to be funded by Health and Social Services (HSS).
To make an appointment, you can visit your local participating pharmacy, contact them directly by phone, or use the existing Help2Quit Freephone number.
The following pharmacies will be participating:
- Boots, Queen Street, St Helier
- Boots, Rue Des Pres, St Saviour
- Boots, Centenary House, La Grande Route de St Pierre, St Peter
- Island Pharmacy, 14 Gloucester Street, St Helier
- Pharmacy Locale, New Era House, Victoria Road, St Clement
- Pharmacy Locale, La Rue de L’Eglise, St Peter
- Pharmacy Locale, Grande Marche, Le Rue Le Masurier, St Helier
- Queens Road Pharmacy, Queens Road Health Centre, Queens Road, St Helier
- Lloyds Pharmacy, 2-8 Oxford Road, St Helier
- Lloyds Pharmacy, Red Houses Arcade, St Brelade
- Lloyds Pharmacy, 7/8 The Parade, St Helier
- Reids Pharmacy, The Lido Medical Centre, St. Saviours Road, St Helier
In both 2010 and 2011, the Help2Quit service received around 1,000 enquiries which led to 875 smokers being treated. The redesigned service has the capacity to manage these volumes and can cope with any future increases in demand.
Matt Johnson, spokesperson for Jersey community pharmacists said ''The move to a pharmacy-based programme will increase accessibility to the service for Jersey's smoking population - a service that is proven to greatly increase your chances of quitting smoking and then remaining smoke free. All participating pharmacies hope Jersey's smoking population will take that first important step to a healthier, smoke-free life.''
Andrew Heaven, Head of Health Improvement in HSS said "Help2Quit is an important part of the Island’s Tobacco Control Strategy. By delivering this service via community pharmacies we hope people who smoke will find it easier to use the service and finally kick their habit."
The service re-design falls under the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). HSS is on target to meet its savings target of £188k over the two years from 2012 to 2013 - the cost of running the service will decrease from £426k to £238k.
The changes will not result in any job losses within HSS.
gov.je