Health services worldwide play a vital role in proactively addressing the tobacco epidemic in order to protect population health. So, if your health service is keen to be involved, this is a great place to start…
Smokefree means more than implementing a smoking ban. While this is important, becoming smokefree involves a comprehensive approach in which:
- action on smoking is integrated into care delivery for every client
- safe quality care for tobacco and nicotine dependence is provided throughout the service
- employees are encouraged and supported to quit as part of a comprehensive workplace health promotion program
- the service is actively involved with the wider community in support of smoking cessation and reducing tobacco use
- the service is committed to a cycle of review and improvement
Based on this comprehensive approach and aligning with the broader goals of the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control, the Global Network's concept assists health services to systematically address tobacco through the application of evidence based standards and a process of improvement based on self-audit. And the good news is, this concept is accessible to all health services.
Your journey starts with just three easy steps:
- Understanding the key elements of successful smokefree implementation as defined in the Global Standards
- Understanding where your health service is at in relation to the Global Standards by using a self-audit approach
- Identifying priorities for improvement and establishing a plan for implementation
The Global Standards, which were reviewed in 2015, address EIGHT key elements known to be important in achieving outcomes for tobacco control and smoking cessation:
- Governance and commitment
- Communication
- Education and training
- Identification, diagnosis and tobacco cessation support
- Tobacco-free environment
- Healthy workplace
- Community engagement
- Monitoring and evaluation
Each standard is supported by implementation criteria (specific structures and processes) to help guide health services in achieving implementation and monitoring progress.
Understanding your current smokefree status in relation to the global standards is an important next step. The Global Network self audit tool guides you in assessing your level of implementation for each standard and supports understanding of your strengths as well as the opportunities for improvement.
The self-audit and the specific implementation criteria support planning and continuous improvement in your smokefree journey. The process also supports prioritisation of actions and allocation of resources.
