WDP to provide specialist smoking cessation support in Redbridge

Leading drug and alcohol charity WDP is delighted to announce that it has been successful in its bid to deliver a new specialist smoking cessation service in the London Borough of Redbridge.

The new service will commence from 1 April 2023 and will be operational for an initial three-year term. It comes as an addition to WDP’s well-established adult and young people’s substance misuse and sexual health services in the borough.

The service will provide confidential, evidence-based behavioural and pharmacological advice and support to those who live, work or study in Redbridge, aged 12 and above, to help them to stop smoking or using other forms of tobacco.

The new service brings with it WDP’s commitment to co-production and working in close partnership with the areas we serve. It will also have a keen focus on accessibility and supporting priority populations including those who use non-traditional and smokeless forms of tobacco, pregnant women, young people, and people who are engaged with mental health services. This will be supported by regular consultation with service users and community and faith groups.

With a main hub in Ilford, the service will be embedded in the community, delivering a wide range of satellites and outreach activities in locations such as GP surgeries, COPD clinics, inpatient wards, mental health services, pharmacies, and other community sites. The team will be able to provide digital and remote contact, and WDP’s valued community pharmacy partners will also be able to provide smoking cessation interventions, supported by WDP’s Chief Pharmacist. This will ensure the service has a wide variety of accessibility options to reduce barriers to accessing support.

Gladys Xavier, Director of Public Health for the London Borough of Redbridge said: “Smoking remains the leading causes of preventable illness, premature death and health inequalities. The new service will deliver a flexible and accessible service working closely with our NHS partners and will proactively outreach with our underserved communities to support residents to quit smoking and tobacco.”

Craig Middleton, Executive Director of Services at WDP said: “This is an exciting new development for WDP and we are delighted to be delivering a specialist smoking cessation service to the residents of Redbridge. At WDP we are passionate about supporting people to improve their health and wellbeing and this is a perfect opportunity for us to support more people to do just that.”

Join our team

Visit our recruitment portal to view details of the roles available in our Redbridge smoking cessation team: https://wdp.ciphr-irecruit.com/Applicants/vacancy