Quitline boosted

The Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon used World No Tobacco Day (31 May) to announce that the Australian Government will provide $5 million to help support Quitline services around Australia.

Funding for Quitline will help support increased demand for services arising from more extensive anti-smoking advertising. Increased support for Quitline was a recommendation of the National Preventative Health Taskforce.

The $5 million in one-off funding will be made available to:

• address one-off costs from this period of high demand for their services – including increased hours of access where appropriate;
• develop and deliver counsellor training, including specific training to help high-risk and highly disadvantage groups quit;
• develop new and online quit support resources; and
• improve quality and national consistency across Quitline services.

Members are urged to use the resources provided by Quit Victoria to help promote smoking cessation.

Refer your patients who smoke to the Quitline confidentially on 131 848 from anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call only.

Quitline can provide smokers with evidence on:

• the best way for them to quit;
• coping with withdrawal symptoms; and
• Quit courses and details of local organisations which provide individual help and counselling.