The number of people in Greater Manchester smoking during time of delivery has fallen for the sixth consecutive year, new figures reveal.

According to NHS Digital, fewer than 8 in 100 people (7.7% in total) smoked during pregnancy between April 2023 to March 2024.

This 1.7 percentage point decrease from 9.4% in 2022-23 brings Greater Manchester closer to the England average of 7.4% and the national ambition set by NHS England of 6% or less. This means 600 more smoke-free babies were born.

The significant reduction is due to Greater Manchester’s Smokefree Pregnancy programme, which works closely with the Maternity Network, and is a key part of Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership’s regional tobacco control strategy to make smoking history.

Smoking rates at time of delivery are verified by carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring. Unlike rates for the general population, which are based on surveys, we can be confident that the reported rates of smoking at the time of delivery are accurate.

Launched in 2018, the Smokefree Pregnancy programme is delivered between NHS Greater Manchester, local authorities, and NHS Foundation Trusts.

It aims to tackle health inequalities, improve health and wellbeing, and ultimately save babies’ lives. Since the programme started, smoking at time of delivery – the benchmark used by the NHS to measure the number of women smoking throughout pregnancy up to childbirth – has dropped by over a quarter, from 12.6% in 2017-18.

During the last six years, the Greater Manchester Smokefree Pregnancy programme has supported more than 6,000 pregnant women and birthing people, and their partners, to quit smoking. Its success has been praised by England’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, leading health charities and maternity experts around the country.

The programme offers all pregnant women and birthing people, and their partners, free and personalised stop-smoking support through a specialist maternity stop-smoking service. It includes one-to-one advice and guidance, free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), regular carbon monoxide (CO) screening, and an incentive scheme to stay smokefree. Similar programmes have since been rolled out across the country to support more parents-to-be to stop smoking.

Jane Pilkington, director of population health at NHS Greater Manchester, said: “We are thrilled to see such a substantial decrease in smoking at time of delivery.

“We will continue to strive for a future where every pregnancy in Greater Manchester is smokefree.”

Programme priorities for 2024-25

The Greater Manchester Diabetes Network team has started to introduce stakeholders to its programme of work for 2024-25.

Ewan Jones, programme manager, Krista Williams, senior project manager and Adam Wallis, project manager, will be leading on a number of projects to support the delivery of the ‘Tackling Diabetes Together Greater Manchester Diabetes Strategy’ (pictured left).

The overall aim of the diabetes programme and strategy is to improve the quality and consistency of services. Amongst other key areas included in 2024-25, the priorities are:

• Providing clinical leadership and engagement with the delivery of Integrated Care Board plans through the Diabetes Oversight Group
• Ongoing coordination and delivery of the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, the Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme and Early Onset Diabetes Reviews
• Reviewing the current delivery and redesign of Diabetes Preconception and Structured Education services and pathways
• Supporting the roll out and adoption of the new ‘Greater Manchester Diabetes Transition Strategy’
• Establishing Medicines and Technology Advisory Groups with a particular focus on the roll out of Hybrid Closed Loop Technologies in line with NHS England implementation plans.

If you would like more information or would like to contribute to the delivery of any of our programmes please contact Adam.Wallis1@nhs.net.

Annual report and strategy launched

The Network is delighted to launch its annual report for 2023/24, showcasing its work over the past 12 months (pictured right).

The team continues to develop as the only service improvement network in the country that combines both stroke and neurorehabilitation, which brings huge benefit to patients and clinical services.

The Network continues to be amazed with the people it works with by their dedication, innovation and passion for improving care. This report showcases many great examples of team-working across the region and demonstrates how well people come together as a network with a shared purpose.

You can download the interactive annual report here.

The Network has also launched its strategy for 2024-2026 which reflects national requirements, mostly for stroke, regional objectives, including the transformation of inpatient neurorehabilitation services, and importantly, what patients and carers said were important to them. You can view the strategy here.

Looking for new clinical leads

The Network has an exciting opportunity for two local clinicians to join its clinical leadership team on a part time basis.

The new recruits will provide additional support based on their clinical profession or area of expertise and experience.

The inpatient rehabilitation and acute stroke clinical lead roles aim to increase the opportunities to develop and nurture clinical leadership skills and experience amongst local clinicians involved with stroke and neuro care.

The Network is seeking two senior professionals with extensive relevant clinical experience who currently work in Greater Manchester inpatient stroke services.

The deadline for submitting an expression of interest is August 16, although applications may close two weeks earlier if suitable applications are received. You can find out more here.

The Network prides itself on being a clinically-led organisation that is an exemplar nationally and pioneer in service improvement in these fields.

The Network is led by clinical director Dr Shivakumar Krishnamoorthy (pictured above left), a consultant stroke physician at Stepping Hill Hospital who provides expert leadership, clinical knowledge and advice to the Network and wider stakeholders.

Planning for #AskAboutAsthma

The team is currently preparing for this year’s #AskAboutAsthma awareness campaign which returns for its eighth year from September 9-15.

#AskAboutAsthma is about making simple changes to children and young people’s care that will make a big difference to how they experience their asthma. This year’s theme is focusing on helping children and young people with asthma to live their best lives. Asthma should not limit children and young people’s lives in any way and good asthma control means having no symptoms.

The #AskAboutAsthma campaign, led by the NHS England – London’s Babies, Children and Young People Programme, encourages children and young people, their families, and those involved in their care, to follow these four simple and effective measures to help manage their asthma:

1. Get an asthma action plan in place
2. Understand how to use inhalers correctly
3. Schedule an asthma review – every year and after every attack
4. Consider air pollution and its impact on lung health

The Network was really impressed in the past with the London-based campaign and decided to adopt its work for Greater Manchester, tailoring the messages for a local audience.

Throughout the week, NHS England – London’s Babies, Children and Young People Programme will also be holding a number of webinars which people can register for. See below for more details:

One-day virtual conference - Thursday 12 September

Asthma and air pollution webinar – Monday 9 September 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Primary care webinar – Tuesday 10 September 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Pharmacy webinar – Tuesday 10 September 7:30pm – 8:30pm

Nursing webinar – Wednesday 11 September 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Learn Live educational event for schools and parents and carers – Friday 13 September 10:00am – 10:30am