Smoking will be banned in public places in England and Wales next year, in line with bans already in place in Scotland and Ireland. PCTs are likely to experience an increase in demand from smokers accessing services to help them quit. It is estimated that there will be around a 50% increase over normal demand from three months before the date of implementation, with the government predicting that around 600,000 people will decide to quit as a result of the legislation. The seasonal nature of stop smoking attempts means that the period between January and April is already a very busy time. This article reviews what practices can do to ensure they are well prepared.
