What steps are being taken in forensic mental health service units to support individuals who wish to give up smoking.

NHS boards have a responsibility to ensure that all smokers who wish to give up smoking in forensic mental health service units have access to local smoking cessation services which provide required motivational support and should put in place arrangements for monitoring and evaluating success of their smoking cessation service. The Scottish Government does not hold centrally information on services provided in these types of units across Scotland.
There are particular challenges in providing smoking cessation services in forensic mental health service units. The Partnership Action on Tobacco and Health, a partnership between ASH Scotland, NHS Health Scotland and the Scottish Government, launched in July this year, bespoke training for those providing smoking cessation services in mental health settings. In addition, the Scottish Government funded through ASH Scotland''s Tobacco and Inequalities Fund a project which established a stop-smoking service within The State Hospital. Although funding ended in 2007, the service has now been mainstreamed into general healthcare provision and continues to offer support to staff and patients alike.