A Moment For Change – Addressing Parental Smoking in the Paediatric Emergency Department

Everyday in A+E, children are attending with serious and life threatening breathing problems which we know are adversely affected by third-hand smoking within the home. The project aimed to have smoking status asked and documented in all respiratory cases presenting through A+E and for smoking cessation advice to be given to every case where a positive smoking status was recorded. Two cycles of change took place with posters created to increase staff awareness, a standardised sticker added in clerking booklets and leaflets on smoking cessation introduced.