Background: In 2006, to support going totally smoke free Hunter New England Health (HNEH) developed an evidence-based intervention program to assist staff to quit smoking.

Aim: To describe the uptake, acceptability and effectiveness of the Support for Staff who Smoke Program in assisting HNEH staff to quit smoking.

Method: HNEH developed a protocol for providing best practice care which included, 8 weeks of free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) patches, referral to Quitline and Quit Online and support by specially trained HNEH staff.

Outcome data including acceptability and cessation rates will be assessed using a Computerised Assisted Telephone Interview (CATI) with participating staff, six months after receipt of the intervention, commencing March 2007.

Results: Over 540 staff have participated in the Support for Staff who Smoke Program. Acceptability of the processes to access the program and support provided to staff will be reported, along with continuous and point prevalence abstinence rates.

Conclusions: Given the high level of uptake it appears that promoting smoking cessation as part of going totally smoke free results in high levels of program participation. Based on acceptability data recommendations for changes in the program will be considered. Based on the cessation results the relative importance of this smoking cessation program will be discussed.

Implications: If effective in reducing smoking rates such a program has the potential to have a population health effect on smoking rates. It will also have implications for uptake in other workplaces.