These resources are designed to complement our National Smoke-Free Pregnancy Incentive Scheme (NSPIS) online training module: Click here for the training module
In 2024 the Department of Health and Social Care launched the National Smoke-Free Pregnancy Incentive Scheme (NSPIS). The NSPIS briefing below summarises the NSPIS scheme with case studies from organisations who have implemented stop smoking pregnancy incentive schemes.
NSPIS: a memory jogger lays out the main components of incorporating discussion about the NSPIS into Very Brief Advice on Smoking (VBA) and stop smoking interventions with pregnant women.
The fourth, fully revised edition of this briefing gives expert, concise guidance on how to deliver Very Brief Advice on Smoking (VBA+) to pregnant women who smoke and how to carry out routine carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring with all pregnant women.
Smoking in pregnancy is a significant health problem for the mother and the baby. Many women who smoke will quit by themselves before becoming pregnant and others will stop once their pregnancy is confirmed. However, other pregnant women will need considerable support to stop smoking successfully.
This NCSCT Standard Treatment Programme (STP) for Pregnant Women describes the components of a structured individual face-to-face smoking cessation intervention with a pregnant woman who smokes.
The document reflects the latest evidence in terms of how best to support women during pregnancy with quitting and maintaining cessation during the post-partum period, acknowledging the special considerations that may affect a pregnant woman's motivation and ability to quit smoking.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a clarification on directly supplying nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): “Supply of these products by non-medically qualified staff is permitted in medicines legislation. This is subject to the products being pre-packed and supplied from lockable premises.”
This means that, whilst staff who are not clinically registered can provide a direct supply of NRT, unfortunately they can’t do it in people’s homes. This briefing gives further guidance.