Background: Smoking cessation interventions that combine behavioural support and pharmacotherapy are currently the most effective way of helping people who smoke to quit. Currently New Zealand smokers who want help in stopping have two main options; (1) to get help from the National Quitline; or (2) seek help from a local healthcare professional (HCP) that has been trained in delivering smoking cessation treatment. The National Heart Foundation (NHF) provides a training programme for HCPs who want to become smoking cessation practitioners. This training also entitles HCPs to become Quit Card Providers under the Government subsidised nicotine replacement therapy programme. It is unknown how many of the programme graduates go on to provide a cessation service or what level of smoking cessation activity they undertake.

Method: An invitation to participate in a survey was sent to 1183 HCPs with email (n=541) or postal addresses (n=642) held on the NHF training database. Participants completed the survey online, or could request a paper copy if they did not have access to the internet. The survey assessed demographics, provision of smoking cessation treatment, and barriers for providing treatment.

Results: Results from this survey will be presented. Conclusions:/

Implications: Training HCPs to provide smoking cessation treatment is necessary to improve access to evidence based treatment for people who smoke. The results from this survey will elucidate the level of smoking cessation activity of HCPs who have received training and the barriers they face in delivering treatment. These data will help guide future smoking cessation training.