A grant of over £45,000 has been given to a local mental health NHS Trust to expand vape support for patients throughout the next year.
National evidence shows that people with mental health conditions are twice as likely to smoke, often becoming more dependent and experiencing worse long‑term health outcomes as a result*. The funding has been given to Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, helping inpatients to begin their journey to quitting smoking.
Rates of smoking in the Black Country remain among the highest in the country. Around 145,000 people smoke across the Black Country ICB area, a figure strongly linked to deprivation*.
The new funding - from Black Country Smokefree Generation Alliance - will help the Trust to offer practical support to around 1,200 inpatients over the next year across all adult and older adult wards. This includes access to vape products as a safer alternative to tobacco, helping patients to manage cravings during their stay and give them a realistic route into long‑term quitting.
Stephen Adeniyi, Tobacco Dependence Treatment Programme Lead at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Securing this additional funding is a huge achievement for our organisation. It means we can support even more patients to begin their smoke‑free journey when they are admitted to our wards. Our aim is to help our Black Country communities to take steps in improving their health and wellbeing. This funding enables us to provide the tools they need to succeed.
“We know smoking can negatively impact mental health, and for people already experiencing mental health difficulties, this can slow recovery and worsen overall health. That’s why our smoke‑free initiative is so important. It allows us to offer practical help, alongside behavioural and medicine‑based support.”
The Trust has already strengthened its approach through the Government’s Swap to Stop scheme, securing 2,000 vapes last year, and by working closely with local Stop Smoking Services to ensure patients continue to receive help after discharge.
By expanding access to vape products and consistent support, the funding will help the Trust to reduce smoking‑related harm, improve recovery outcomes and create a healthier environment for all patients, staff and visitors.
For further information contact Lauryn Edwards – Assistant Communications Officer – lauryn.edwards@nhs.net
*Black Country ICB research sourced from: Action on Smoking and Health Impact of smoking on Core20PLUS5 in NHS Black Country ICB: NHS-Black-Country-ICB_2024-02-07-125251_kpcp.pdf
*National data sourced from: NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) Prevalence of smoking in people with mental health problems paper: PH48 Expert paper 5 - Prevalence of smoking in people with mental health problems
About Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is the lead provider for specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country.
Across the Black Country we provide:
- Adult and older adult mental health services
- Specialist mental health services such as community perinatal mental health
- Child and adolescent mental health services
- Learning disability services
- Some community healthcare services for children, young people and families in Dudley
Visit our website www.blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk for more information.