Background: The implementation of comprehensive smokefree workplace legislation in 2004 highlighted the responsibility of hospitals and other health settings to provide at least minimal advice, information and services for New Zealanders who smoke. Silagy (2002) suggests that even simple advice has an effect on cessation rates, of about 2.5%. An effective way of achieving this is by training frontline health professionals in brief intervention which increases staff confidence and competence when treating patients who smoke.

Strategy: A network of trainers have been trained to upskill frontline staff to be competent to offer all patients who smoke an effective brief interventions including NRT. 16 trained staff through out New Zealand now facilitate training of a standardised 3hour Effective Brief Intervention (EBI) in most NZ hospitals . This training (Heart Foundation) gives staff the confident and competence to adress smoking in their clinical practise and ensures better treatment/outcomes for patients.

Conclusion: Patients who smoke have their smoking status documented and will receive intervention in hospital. This is cost effective -senior doctor costs $5:75, junior doctor - $3:25,nurse $ 1:75. 16 trainers now train staff in their hospitals, making training more accessible and standardised throughout New Zealand. Content of the EBI module is revised and updated every six months in consultation with the team of trainers, who have had varying experiences in the implementation of their training.