??462 cost of helping smokers quit in Blackburn

THE cost of helping smokers in Blackburn with Darwen quit their habit is the second highest in the country – at ??462 per person.

New figures have revealed that the borough’s Care Trust Plus spent ??388,000 on its Stop Smoking Service last year.

Of the 2,225 people who used the service between April 2010 and March 2011, only 839 who set a quit date actually stopped smoking.

NHS Information Centre statistics show that 341 people did not quit and a further 1,045 were ‘lost’ or not followed up.

The cost per person is the second worst out of 151 primary care trusts in England, behind only Camden in London.

NHS East Lancashire’s service, aimed at Hyndburn, Ribble Valley, Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale residents, had 3,775 people quit, at a cost of ??181 per person.

Blackburn with Darwen’s service had a success rate of 35 per cent, the third worst in the north west behind Manchester and Blackpool on 31 per cent.

Dominic Harrison, director of public health for Blackburn with Darwen Care Trust Plus, said the figures reflected “a time of complete overhaul for the service”.

He said: “They do not take into account the setting up costs that were needed for its expansion, which will see more professionals delivering smoking cessation including pharmacists, GPs and health trainers.

“The new system will be results based and the most that will be paid per quitter is ??100.

“Early indications are good and show that around 39 percent of those taking part have quit.

“We are confident of a strong improvement over the next 12 months.”

NHS East Lancashire’s ??683,000 programme reached 7,671 people, of whom 2,971 failed to quit and 925 people were not followed up.