A mental health NHS Trust in Surrey will be marking this year’s Stoptober by becoming a completely tobacco-free zone.

Clients, staff and visitors will no longer be able to smoke tobacco products on site at Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, as part of a wider health and wellbeing drive to promote the important link between physical and mental health.

Jo Young, chief nurse and deputy chief executive, said: “Smoking has a devastating impact on a person’s physical and mental health and unfortunately many people who use our services smoke tobacco.

“People with mental health conditions die, on average, 10 to 20 years earlier than the rest of our population and smoking is one of the biggest causes of this gap, this is simply unacceptable in 2017.

“As an NHS trust we are taking action to promote and improve people’s physical health as well as their mental wellbeing.

“Much of the work we have been doing, and will continue to do, is in our community settings, supporting people who wish to quit smoking. If someone is admitted to one of our hospitals after October 2, they won’t be able to smoke tobacco during their stay. Although we will be allowing vaping on our premises, and will aim to provide nicotine replacement therapy within 30 minutes of a person’s arrival to one of our hospitals, we understand that tobacco abstinence for many people will be really hard, and so preparation for this has been key.”

The trust recently employed two advisors, who will be providing stop smoking support to people using its services, both in the community and in hospital settings.

Adviser Emily Lucocq said: “When people think of smoking, they immediately think of the physical damage it does to a person’s health, however there is also a complex relationship between smoking and mental health.

“People aren’t aware that stopping smoking is associated with improved mood and quality of life, with an effect that is equal to, or greater than, antidepressant treatment, and although nicotine provides an immediate relief to stress, this feeling of relaxation soon gives way to withdrawal symptoms.”

For more information on giving up smoking in Surrey, visit www.quit51.co.uk or www.quit4life.nhs.uk if you live in East Hampshire.