Digital Tobacco Treatment Service Pilot

The Digital Tobacco Treatment Service pilot (DTTS) will provide smokers in England, aged 18 years and older, access to a digital tobacco treatment programme. This service will help and support them to quit smoking. Individuals will be able to choose which service best suits their personal preferences and needs.

The new Digital Tobacco Treatment service builds on the success of digital lifestyle interventions like the Digital Weight Management Programme. This new digital provision will initially be piloted by NHS staff and will allow the effectiveness of the service to be tested before committing to delivering direct patient facing services. Data gathered will be analysed for access, viability and sustainability. The service provides an alternative option for those who find it difficult or are unable to access mainstream face to face services. This online provision is an additional element which people can use to quit smoking at their convenience.

In 2015, smoking was estimated to have cost the NHS around £2.6 billion per year, with £1.1 billion of that being spent at primary care level. Costs arising from NHS staff smoking are estimated to be around £206 million a year, broken down that costs the NHS around £2,810 per NHS employee who smokes.

If you are an NHS staff member and interested or want help to stop smoking to improve your health, you can register for the digital pilot service.

Individuals signing up can expect:

• a minimum of four months access to a digital app/web platform which will provide behavioural and motivational support
• 24hr access to tailored tobacco dependency support
• a supply of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), pharmacotherapy and/or vaping devices which aid people’s dependency on cigarettes helping them quit.