Decision details

11.1

The Strategic Director of Public Health and Integrated Commissioning presented a report seeking authorisation to spend the Local Stop Smoking Services and Tobacco Control Interventions Support Grant, which is being made available to the Council by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) totalling £650,694 from April 2024 for the delivery of stop smoking services and tobacco control interventions in Sheffield and across South Yorkshire. An officer decision was taken on 25th March 2024 to permit the Council to become the accountable body for this grant.

This proposal will contribute to the achievement of the vision of the 2022-2027 Tobacco Control Strategy in Sheffield which aims for people to live longer and healthier lives, smokefree. The vision is also that Sheffield children grow up in a city where smoking is unusual; and that Sheffield is a smokefree city in which to live, work and play. Our ambition to make smoking obsolete by 2030 or to get to 5% prevalence in adults across all social groups. This strategy was signed off at Council Cabinet in April 2022.

11.2

RESOLVED UNANIMOUSLY: That Strategy and Resources Policy Committee:-

(a)  approves the grant of £65,000 to Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board to contribute to the Yorkshire and Humber Smokefree campaign, as outlined in this report;

(b) notes the Council’s intention in becoming a key partner and funder of the South Yorkshire Tobacco Control Alliance and entering into a partnership agreement. (This decision will be taken via an officer decision report); and

(c) notes the £127,694 being allocated to the incentive scheme in which the Council will commission goods and services, as outlined in this report. (This decision will be taken via an officer decision report).

11.3

Reasons for Decision

11.3.1

By approving the grant of £65,000 to Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board to contribute to the Yorkshire and Humber Smokefree campaign on behalf of the South Yorkshire Tobacco Control Alliance will enable Sheffield to maximise the opportunity to support smokers further in increasing quit attempts and quit outcomes and ultimately reducing smoking prevalence and associated harm and health inequalities amongst our most vulnerable groups.

11.3.2

Furthermore, by the Committee noting the Council’s intention in becoming a key partner and funder of the South Yorkshire Tobacco Control Alliance and entering into a partnership agreement, as well as noting the intention to deliver an incentive scheme ensures the committee have a full overview of the spend of the Local Stop Smoking Services and Tobacco Control Interventions Support Grant re: 2024/25 and future years. These plans will accelerate declines in smoking in Sheffield and South Yorkshire.

11.3.3

This proposal will contribute to the achievement of the vision of the 2022-2027 Tobacco Control Strategy where people to live longer and healthier lives, smokefree. Children will grow up in a city where smoking is unusual; and that Sheffield is a smokefree city in which to live, work and play. Our ambition to make smoking obsolete by 2030 or to get to 5% prevalence in adults across all social groups.

11.4

Alternatives Considered and Rejected

11.4.1

Alternative Option 1:

All additional funding to be allocated to the community stop smoking service.

This would lead to a contract larger in size than the demand we could hope to treat via services. Some money would be dormant in the contact and not used to best effect. Only 5% of the smoking population attend services – which is why large promotion and engagement is required. Population level interventions are necessary such as mass media campaigns to elicit behaviour change across the whole smoking population. By funding a range of interventions, we maximise the opportunity to meet the needs of a range of smokers, as people are motivated by different factors to quit.

11.4.2

Alternative Option 2:

Smokefree App

Whilst Smokefree App’s have been proven to support smokers in achieving successful quit attempts at a population level with wide reach. Previous use of these in Sheffield has led to low uptake. Also, they do not support those who are digitally excluded and could in some cases such as, where English is not your first language provide further barriers to accessing support. This was not viewed as the best option to maximise quit attempts.