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Why Stoptober is so important in dentistry
Stoptober is a national campaign that encourages and supports smokers in quitting tobacco for good.
The initiative is based on evidence that shows if you make it 28 days smokefree, you are five times more likely to quit for good.
A new survey shows nearly all (95%) ex-smokers see positive changes in their life as early as two weeks after quitting.
Carried out by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID), some of the top benefits respondents saw included having more energy (45%), feeling healthier (42%) and breathing better (42%).
We hear from Dr Richard Marques about why Stoptober is crucial in dentistry and how teams can make a difference.
Why is Stoptober important in dentistry?
As well as being important in all aspects of health, Stoptober is extremely important in dentistry. The encouragement of smokers to quit for 28 days can help reduce the risk of developing a range of smoking related dental diseases.
Mouth cancer, gum disease, tooth loss and decay are all things people who smoke are at a higher risk of developing. Therefore, if smokers partake in Stoptober and are able to give up smoking for this length of time, they are much more likely to be able to quit all together and their oral health will benefit.
How can dental teams support those giving up smoking?
Dental teams are in a great position to offer brief advice and support at dental check ups on how patients can take part in Stoptober, as well as quitting smoking all together.
Offering encouragement beyond Stoptober stresses the importance of regular check up and appointments with the hygienists. Professionals can also pass on the correct information and contacts of further support networks and professional help.
Giving up smoking is a huge life adjustment. The more support dental practices can offer patients on this, in the kindest way, the better.
Source: Dentistry, 31 October 2023
See also: Dentistry - Vaping and oral health – an update for the dental team
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Giant lungs greet Hull shoppers in cancer awareness campaign
A giant pair of inflatable lungs will greet shoppers in Hull on Wednesday as part of a cancer awareness campaign.
The unusual display at St Stephen's shopping centre kicks off a month-long nationwide tour during November.
A recent survey of over 2,000 adults in England found just 41% consult a GP if they had a cough for three weeks or more, a possible sign of lung cancer.
The Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation said the event aimed to reach people who may not realise they were at risk.
Chief executive Paula Chadwick said: "It is staggering that half of those surveyed still do not know how prevalent lung cancer is.
"We believe this stems from a reluctance to talk about lung cancer, and that is largely because of its links to smoking and associated stigma.
"That's why these events are so important. They give us the opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with people who may not realise they are at risk, who may not recognise potential symptoms or may feel unable to act on them, or are too fearful to.
"If we can help one person in Hull get diagnosed earlier when lung cancer can often be treated with curative intent, then that is worth doing."
Source: BBC, 1 November 2023
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‘Short termism’ is undermining NHS savings and safety, warns CEO
The government must allow health systems to plan their finances over a longer period to help deliver ‘real’ savings by rationalising services, says a leading chief executive.
Kevin McGee, who recently stepped down from Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, said the “short-termism” baked into the annual NHS budget cycle is a major source of frustration for local leaders.
Many trusts and systems have struggled to deliver their financial plans this year due to the savings required, and Mr McGee warned that continuing to “salami slice” the budgets will exacerbate patient safety risks.
He said Lancashire and many other systems urgently need to rationalise and consolidate acute services on fewer sites, which would bring significant cost savings. However, changes such as these can often take years to plan and implement.
Mr McGee, a former finance director, told HSJ: “My main frustration was the short-termism and not being able to plan strategically. The way funds are allocated in the yearly budget cycles, and priorities changing, makes it so difficult to plan long term. We’ve almost been doing it despite the system around us.
“Organisations are currently incentivised to think on a short-term basis, with winter resources, incentive money at year-end for people who have hit targets, and so on.
“If we had a five-year planning round, I do think it would make people think differently. You’d see real savings being delivered.”
McGee added “Longer term settlements would allow better financial planning, avoid shorter decisions and allow the significant service changes that are required both clinically and financially. [But] that flexibility can only be granted from the Treasury with support from the Department of Health.”
Source: HSJ, 1 November 2023
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ASH Daily News is a digest of published news on smoking-related topics. ASH is not responsible for the content of external websites. ASH does not necessarily endorse the material contained in this bulletin.
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