Population Health and Strategic Direction
Centre for Population Health - Projects
Tobacco Control Program
Rationale:
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Tobacco smoking is the largest preventable cause of death, disease, illness and disability.
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In Western Sydney tobacco attributable illness amounts to almost $30 million per year in hospital costs alone.
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Compared to NSW overall, Western Sydney continues to report higher rates of smoking, and lower rates of cessation.
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Residents of Blacktown Local Government Area have a 30% higher rate of tobacco attributable death than the average NSW resident.
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An Area Tobacco Strategy will support well established National and State Strategies in Tobacco Control.
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An Area Tobacco Strategy will support the Area Health’s obligations for:
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Legislative requirements within the Public Health Act;
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Tobacco control indicators in the Performance Agreement with the Department of Health;
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Performance indicators within the Chronic Disease Clinical Service Frameworks and
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The NSW Health Department Smoke Free Workplace Policy Implementation Plan.
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Strategies
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Develop a SWAHS Tobacco Control Strategy
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Support progression of phase 4 smoke free workplace policy across SWAHS including:
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Development, implementation and evaluation of a SWAHS Smoke Free Policy
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Workforce development strategy including:
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Training on the effects of environmental tobacco smoke on passive smokers for all staff
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Mandatory training on smoking brief intervention for all staff
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Pilot a nurse initiated nicotine replacement therapy in pre-admission clinics
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Facilitate advocacy, community awareness and education strategies that support the ‘Smoke Free Pubs & Clubs Campaign’, the ‘Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Children Campaign - Car and Home: Smoke Free Zone’ and ‘World No Tobacco Day’.
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Continue and increase Tobacco Regulatory/Legislative activities which include:
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availability and supply of tobacco products
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tobacco product regulation
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marketing and promotion of tobacco product
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Development of a Blacktown Place Based Tobacco Strategy including:
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A pilot smoking cessation service at Blacktown Hospital
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Pilot quit services / programs at Blacktown, Mt Druitt and Doonside Community Health Centres
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Development and implementation of the SWAHS Aboriginal Tobacco Control Resource Project
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Support a pilot smoking cessation program at Daruk Aboriginal Medical Health Service
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Support the Auburn Community Drug Action Team in the development of tobacco resources for targeted CALD communities
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Review recommendations of statewide Arabic Tobacco Project (ended in 2004)
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Establish a local Arabic Health / Community Workers Tobacco Control Network
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Participate and support the statewide Chinese Australian Tobacco and Health Network action plan
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Support the Pacific Islands Fresh Air Project co-ordinated by Doonside CHC
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Investigate and initiate smoking cessation projects for pregnant women who smoke in the Blacktown / Mt Druitt, Penrith and Katoomba postcode
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Develop a mental health tobacco control strategy with mental health staff
