ABSTRACT
Smoking is the single greatest cause of preventable illness and premature death in the UK. Smoking cessation support appropriate to needs is required but, apart from brief intervention advice, people are rarely given additional long-term help. Primary care staff in disadvantaged communities are more aware than others that many people use smoking as a coping mechanism and they may feel uncomfortable about raising the issue of smoking. A Community Education Training Programme which has been run in Sheffield gives individuals the opportunity to attend smoking cessation support groups, which are facilitated by a primary care-based health professional and, crucially, a person living on an estate in a disadvantaged area. The focus in Sheffield is to continue to run the community advisers programme and to recruit new advisers. Health professionals involved have developed good links with individuals living in the area through their role in co-facilitating groups, while local residents have felt more comfortable in approaching primary care staff.
