Table 1.

Characteristics of stop smoking services

Background	Established in 1999 in the most disadvantaged areas in England
	Rolled out across the UK from 2000
	Represent a unique national initiative to provide support for smokers motivated to quit [1]
Service provision	Service provision framework is based on an evidenced based approach to treating dependent smokers [2]
	Usually involves regular meetings (one to one or in groups) with a trained adviser, using structured withdrawal-oriented behavioural support combined with smoking cessation medications [1]
	Smoking cessation medications are usually offered on the basis of an abstinent-contingent treatment programme involving an initial course of two to four weeks, followed by further prescriptions if the quit attempt is continuing [3]
	If a smokers’ attempt to quit is unsuccessful, advisers can use discretion and professional judgement when considering whether a client is immediately ready to receive support to attempt to stop smoking again [4]
Training	Smoking cessation staff come from a wide variety of backgrounds
	They are trained in the provision of treatments to help with stopping smoking
	This training is currently being standardised in England through a newly established National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training
Targets	For the first ten years, targets were set within England for the numbers of smokers attending the services who set a quit date and who quit smoking four weeks after the start of treatment
	Smoking cessation services are currently expected in the course of a year to treat 5% of their local population, in line with best practice recommendations contained within National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence programme guidance for smoking cessation [3]