COVID-19 has prompted more people to try and quit smoking and be healthier during the pandemic. With Stoptober, the wider ‘Better Health’ campaign and the new pharmacy Stop Smoking Advanced service launching in 2022, more people will be coming into the pharmacy for help. Pharmacy is therefore now a firm place for smokers to come to for quit smoking advice and products. Let us help you become an OTC Expert in Stop Smoking in minutes with our online course!
Why is this OTC Expert in Stop Smoking course essential?
Within the UK, 14.1% of people aged 18+ smoked cigarettes in 2019. However, between April 2020 and March 2021, nearly 60% of people reported that they had successfully quit. As a result of the pandemic, more people than ever are starting their journey to a healthier version of themselves and looking to quit smoking. This is because Covid is a respiratory illness, therefore affecting your lungs and airways. As a result, smokers are at a higher risk of serious complications.
With such motivational statistics comes the increased need for your team to become a point of contact and support for patients in your local community. This course will allow you to become an authority in the Smoking Cessation field, meaning that you will be able to offer informed, targeted advice to suit your patients’ needs.
Also, aside from the pandemic, Stop Smoking services also aid the pharmacy in meeting this year’s Pharmacy Quality Scheme (PQS) contract requirements. This year’s requirements focus on helping to reduce health inequalities, and there is a close link between smoking and deprivation.
What is Stoptober?
Stoptober is a campaign led by the NHS; it has been running for 10 years, helping an estimated 2 million smokers to quit. The campaign helps patients to put together their very own personal quit plan, as well as helping them to find the stop smoking aids and services that are right for them. Getting support from a Stop Smoking Service can boost a person’s chances of quitting by 3 times; this means that it is vital that you are confident and knowledgeable in the field when it comes to giving advice.
This flu season, encouraging patients to get the flu jab is more vital than ever. If you are looking to become an expert in selling your flu service, why not check out our course?
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What is the difference between Stoptober and the Stop Smoking Advanced Service?
The Stop Smoking Advanced Service will allow hospitals to refer discharged patients to a community pharmacy of their choice. This will be so that they can continue any smoking cessation care they may have been receiving, including both medication and behavioural support.
What will I learn from the OTC Expert in Stop Smoking course?
By the end of the course, you will be able to:
- Confidently support customers on their quit journey
- Communicate risks associated with smoking to patients
- Advise patients on where to start when it comes to quitting
- Promote the pharmacy’s involvement in Stop Smoking Services through national awareness campaigns
- Recommend appropriate quitting aids based on a patient’s needs
What is included within the course?
Our course includes a multitude of elements to enhance your learning, such as:
- Learning outcomes
- Further reading to expand upon your knowledge
- A personalised certificate upon completion
- Videos to cater for different learning styles, as well as to build upon the course content
- Case scenarios to help build upon and illustrate key learning points
- Multiple choice quiz elements to help test and cement knowledge
- A structured learning plan
How long will the course take?
The course will last around 20 minutes, but you can use the aforementioned videos and resources to take your learning as far as you’d like. Also, as the course is online you can complete it whenever you like, at your own pace. You can learn more about why using our online learning system is effective here:
Ultimately, your pharmacy will be vital in ensuring that your local community is fully supported in their efforts to quit smoking for good. From Manchester, to Liverpool, to London and all across the UK – why wait?
Become an expert in Stop Smoking today!
Alternatively, sign in to access our learning portal, or learn how to get started with Mediapharm Academy to unleash your team’s true potential.
This blog post was written on behalf of Mediapharm by Carla Moore from Pharmacy Mentor.