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Statistics on smoking cessation services in England, April 2002 to March 2003

  • Published date:
    24 July 2003

This statistical press release presents provisional results from the monitoring of the smoking cessation services in 2002/03. These services were launched in the Health Action Zones in 1999/00, and were set up in all Health Authorities in England in 2000/01.

Of those clients who set a quit date during the period April 2002 to March 2003, 123,900 had successfully quit at the 4 week follow up; this compares with 120,000 in 2001/02 (an increase of 3%).

The key results show that, in England, during the period April 2002 to March 2003:

  • Around 234,400 people set a quit date through the smoking cessation services.
  • At the 4 week follow-up around 123,900 had successfully quit (based on self-report), 53% of those setting a quit date.
  • Of those setting a quit date, more than half (53%) were aged 35-59; 28% were aged 18-34, 1% were aged under 18 and 18% were aged 60 and over.
  • The majority of people received Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). Three quarters (75%) of people received NRT only, 11% received bupropion only, and 1% received both NRT and bupropion.
  • The expenditure on smoking cessation services, which does not include the cost of NRT or bupropion on prescription, was £24.5 million.

Some tables giving more details of these results are attached below.

Produced by the Government Statistical Service

Notes to editor

  1. Press copies of the Statistical Press Release, 'Statistics on smoking cessation services in the Health Authorities in England, April 2002 to March 2003' are available from: the Department of Health Press Office, tel: 020 7210 5221. It will also be available as soon as practical after 9.30am on 24 July 2003 from the Department of Health web site.
  2. The White Paper, 'Smoking Kills', was published in December 1998 outlining the Government's policies on smoking. This contained three key targets: young people's smoking; adult smoking; and pregnant women. The establishment of smoking cessation services in the NHS is an important element of the Government's strategy for tackling smoking in recognition that many smokers want to stop, but find it hard to do so. This policy has been more recently restated in the NHS Plan and the NHS Cancer Plan.
  3. Smoking cessation services were launched in the Health Action Zones in 1999/00, with services rolled out across the NHS in 2000/01. In the three years up to and including 2001/02, £53m has been made available for these services with a further substantial amount for Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and bupropion (Zyban) on NHS prescription. A further £20m was made available for the smoking cessation services in 2002/03. Some £138m has been made available to the Services over the three years 2003/04 to 2005/06 (£41m/£46m/£51m). Details can be found in Health Service Circular 2002/12 available on the Department of Health web site.
  4. For 2001/02, a target was set for the services of 50,000 successful quitters at the 4 week follow up (based on self-report); for 2002/03, the target is 100,000 successful quitters at the 4 week follow-up. A target for the three years 2003/4 to 2005/06 of 800,000 successful quitters at the 4 week follow up (based on self report) has been announced in the document Priorities and Planning Framework 2003-2006 available on the Department of Health web site.
  5. Information on the number of people setting a quit date, and the number who successfully quit at the 4 week follow-up (self report), for each Strategic Health Authority, is included at table 5.
  6. Final figures for 2001/02 were published in a Statistical Bulletin on 7 November 2002; this Statistical Bulletin is available on the Department of Health web site. Figures for earlier quarters in 2002/03 have been published as statistical press notices and are available at the Department of Health web site. A Statistical Bulletin giving more detailed results for 2002/03 is planned for publication this autumn.
  7. A Statistical Bulletin presenting information from a variety of sources on smoking titled 'Statistics on smoking: England, 1978 onwards' was published on 20 July 2000. Copies of this bulletin are available from: Department of Health, PO Box 777, London SEI 6XH, Tel: 0871 555 455 and Fax: 01623 724 524. Press copies are available from the Department of Health Press Office, tel: 020 7210 5221. It is also available on the Department of Health web site.
  8. The telephone number for the NHS smoking helpline is 0800 169 0 169. The telephone number for the NHS pregnancy smoking helpline is 0800 169 9 169.
  • Contact:
    Press officer
  • Address:
    Media Centre, Department of Health
    Richmond House, 79 Whitehall
    London
    SW1A 2NL
  • Phone:
    Media Centre
    020 7210 5221

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