Statistics on NHS Stop Smoking Services - England, April 2009 to December 2009, Q3, Quarterly report

• 492,166 people set a quit date through NHS Stop Smoking Services, an increase of 14 per cent (59,468) on the final figure for same period in 2008/09 (432,698), but a increase of 1 per cent (4,901) on the final figure for the same period in 2007/08 (487,265).
• At the 4 week follow-up 236,735 people had successfully quit (based on self-report), 48 per cent of those setting a quit date. This is an increase of 10 per cent (20,616) on the final figure for the same period in 2008/09 (216,119), but a decrease of 4 per cent (11,059) on the final figure for the same period in 2007/08 (247,794).
• 69 per cent of successful quitters at the 4 week follow-up had their results confirmed by Carbon Monoxide (CO) verification. This percentage was 66 per cent based on final figures for the same period in 2008/09 and 60 per cent based on final figures for the same period in 2007/08.
• Of those setting a quit date, success at the four week follow-up increased with age, from 32 per cent of those aged under 18, to 56 per cent of those aged 60 and over.
• Of the 14,608 pregnant women who set a quit date, 6,434 successfully quit at the four week follow-up (44 per cent).
• The majority of those setting a quit date received Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) only (65 per cent). A further 24 per cent received varenicline (Champix) only, 1 per cent received bupropion (Zyban) only, 1 per cent received both NRT and varenicline and less than 1 per cent received both NRT and bupropion. 5 per cent of people setting a quit date did not receive any pharmacotherapy and the type of treatment was unknown for a further 4 per cent.
• Of those who used varenicline 60 per cent successfully quit, compared with 50 per cent who received bupropion only, and 45 per cent who received NRT only. 45 per cent of people who did not receive any type of pharmacotherapy successfully quit. These data should not be used to assess or compare the clinical effectiveness of the various pharmacotherapies as they reflect only the results obtained through the NHS stop smoking services, and are not based on clinical trials. A trained stop smoking advisor discusses and agrees the treatment option with each client.
• Total expenditure on NHS Stop Smoking Services was £60.6 million, an increase of 17 per cent (£8.9 million) on the final figure for the same period in 2008/09 (£51.6 million) and an increase of 48 per cent (£19.7 million) on the final figure for the same period in 2007/08 (£40.9 million). The cost per quitter is £256 compared with £239 based on final figures for the same period in 2008/09 and £165 based on final figures for the same period in 2007/08. These figures do not include expenditure on pharmacotherapies.
• Among Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs), the East Midlands SHA reported the highest proportion of successful quitters (55 per cent), while North East SHA, North West SHA & London SHA reported the lowest success rate (44 per cent).
• Among Primary Care Trusts (PCTs), Warrington PCT reported the highest proportion of successful quitters (68 per cent), while City & Hackney Teaching PCT reported the lowest success rate (29 per cent).
• For Quarter 3 in 2008/09, the increase between the provisional figures published on 16th April 2009 and the final figures published on 20 August 2009 was 4.5 per cent for the number setting a quit date and 5.0 per cent for the number of successful quitters (based on self-report). This suggests that, for 2009/10, the final figures and the increases from the same period in 2008/09 may be higher than the provisional figures stated above. It also suggests that the decreases from the same period in 2007/08 may be less than stated above (or will show as an increase).
• For Quarter 3 in 2008/09, there was an increase of 0.6 per cent between the provisional and final Quarter 3 expenditure figure. This suggests that, for 2009/10, the final figure and the increase from 2008/09 may be higher than the provisional figure stated above.

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