The Scottish Government

ACTION PLAN

We also intend for PATH to have achieved the following, by these approximate timescales:

April 2006:

• Inducted our 4 Regional Training Officers and established their regional premises;
• Overseen the full national roll-out of the Brief Advice for Smoking Cessation Module.

July 2006:

• Finalised, piloted and rolled-out the accredited Specialist Cessation Support (1:1) and (Group) Modules;
• Delivered tailored modules to staff in every Scottish Prison Service ( SPS) institution in support of SPS's new smoking cessation programme.

December 2006:

• Assessed need for, and prioritised development of, accredited training modules addressing cessation support with specific target groups, e.g. mental health, older adults, young people, pregnant women;
• Assessed need for, and prioritised development of, training modules addressing tobacco control issues, broader than smoking cessation, including possible brief training for managers and adaptation of existing modules for key target groups of professionals;
• In conjunction with NHS Education for Scotland ( NES) and the Edinburgh Postgraduate Dental Institute (subject to anticipated funding from the Chief Dental Officer) piloted and rolled-out a formal electronic-learning package, based on Just-in-Time ( JIT) learning technology, in the provision of brief advice to stop smoking for dentists and professionals complementary to dentistry.

March 2007:

• Entered into negotiations with appropriate partners over resource issues arising in relation to cessation training on specific target groups, and in relation to wider tobacco control training, above;
• Scoped and reported on the cost-recovery and income-generation (for re-investment) potential of current and future accredited training within and out with Scotland, with a view to establishing long-term sustainability;
• Assessed the continued value and relevance of our NES and Royal College of General Practitioner ( RCGP) approved training course-approval scheme and, if continuing, launched the database of courses;
• In conjunction with NES, explored the potential of an updated electronic-learning package for the provision of smoking cessation training for pharmacists;
• Reviewed and updated the national training strategy as appropriate.

July 2007:

• Scoped and reported on the potential for, and implications of, a formal 'competency' framework for smoking cessation, and implications for training;
• Scoped and reported on the potential for, and implications of, a professional body for smoking cessation specialists, within Scotland or wider;
• Produced an interim evaluation of the first full-years' training delivery with recommendations for ongoing development and improvement.

ACTION PLAN

We also intend for PATH to have achieved the following, by these approximate timescales:

March 2006:

• Supported and facilitated the creation and implementation of a management information system for SCS to support the performance management arrangements by the Scottish Executive and NHS Health Scotland.

December 2006:

• Offered continued guidance and support to SCS in relation to using the new minimum dataset

April 2007:

• Facilitated monitoring and research processes and systems to enable the effective analysis of the effectiveness of SCS in helping smokers from the most deprived communities to quit

March 2008:

• Effectively supported Information Services Division ( ISD) of NHS Scotland in implementing and developing the web-based data management system for smoking cessation services, including supporting the formulation of clear recommendations for future development of the system;
• Advised upon, and supported, the successful evaluations of the PATH National Support Fund and the Tobacco and Inequalities Project Small Grants Fund;
• Supported national research and policy developments in smoking cessation and wider tobacco control as required, by adding partnership capacity, taking the lead on specific pieces of work and by participation in networks such as the Scottish Tobacco Control Alliance's ( STCA) Researchers' Group;
• Supported the commissioning and conduct of a formal evaluation of the SPS's cessation programme;
• Disseminated evidence of good practice widely to the tobacco control field in Scotland in a variety of appropriate formats.

Ongoing:

• Provided expert advice to partners on issues relating to cessation monitoring, evaluation and research, such as appropriate methodologies, ethics, good practice, data protection, consent etc. This could include ad-hoc responses or more proactive provision of guidance and resources in light of identified need;
• Supporting the ongoing review, and if appropriate, revision of the Smoking Cessation Guidelines for Scotland;
• Supported the setting, analysis and review of local and national smoking cessation and prevalence targets;
• Supported the implementation of the research-related recommendations of the Updated Smoking Cessation Guidelines for Scotland;
• Contributed to and supported national policy development and research activities in tobacco control, as appropriate.

ACTION PLAN

We also intend for PATH to have achieved the following, by these approximate timescales:

August 2006:

• Explored issues of sustainability with all remaining Support Fund projects and offered guidance and support, where possible, in pursuit of continuation, integration, further development or an exit strategy, as appropriate.

March 2008:

• Disseminated widely the independent evaluation of the Support Fund projects to an appropriate audience and using a range of methods;
• Distilled the findings of the Support Fund evaluation report, as required, and fed those into appropriate national policy development processes, including clear recommendations for the future, based on the evaluation findings.

Ongoing:

• Continued operation of financial and progress monitoring and reporting systems until all Support Fund projects have completed;
• Continued provision of support and guidance to Support Fund projects on pertinent operational issues as required;
• Continued exploration of the strategic implications of emerging findings from Support Fund projects for wider health inequalities, training and tobacco control agendas.

ACTION PLAN

We also intend for PATH to have achieved the following, by these approximate timescales:

December 2006:

• Supported and facilitated dialogue with key partners around strategies for addressing future tobacco and inequalities priorities

March 2007:

• Learned of the Big Lottery Fund's decision on a partnership bid to develop Buddy approaches to cessation, with the Scottish Association for Mental Health, NHS Greater Glasgow and NHS Fife, and if successful, to have established a steering group, a business plan, an evaluation strategy, overseen staff recruitment and have recruited the first volunteers and would-be-quitters;
• Provided ongoing developmental support and advice with a view towards SPS achieving full roll-out of their smoking cessation programme.

September 2007:

• Have scoped and provided a briefing on, including recommendations for action, on the extent of current activities and future needs in relation to smoking cessation provision within Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender ( LGBT) communities, building upon the NHS Scotland report Towards a Healthier LGBT Scotland (2003) which identifies the need for further research and action on smoking amongst these communities;
• Have explored and reported upon the national potential of pilot smoking cessation work with Drug and Alcohol Misusers in Lothian;
• Work with NHS Health Scotland to have scoped and provided a briefing on, (including recommendations for action) the extent of current activities and future needs in relation to smoking cessation provision for people with Cancer, Coronary Heart Disease and Terminal Illnesses.

March 2008:

• To have contributed significantly to the effective allocation, management, and evaluation of the T&I Small Grants Fund;
• Have offered effective ongoing, general developmental support, guidance, input and extra capacity to partner agencies on a wide range of ad-hoc and emerging tobacco and inequalities related issues;
• Disseminated widely the independent evaluation of the Grant Fund projects to an appropriate audience and using a range of methods;
• Distilled the findings of the Grant Fund evaluation report, as required, and fed those into appropriate national policy development processes, including clear recommendations for the future, based on the evaluation findings.

ACTION PLAN

We intend for PATH to have achieved the following, by these approximate timescales:

January 2006:

• Ensured the establishment of strong links with tobacco and inequalities initiatives and stakeholders in support of integrated, evidence-based work with young people from disadvantages communities.

April 2006:

• Contributed effectively to dialogue on potential raising of the minimum purchase age for tobacco in Scotland from 16 to 18;
• Facilitated and supported the objectives of the Smoking Prevention Working Group ( SPWG).

December 2006:

• Led investigations and discussions on best practice in the area of implementing no smoking policies within school grounds, and sought opportunities to support and advise local authority education departments as required.

April 2007:

• Assisted with disseminating, implementing and building upon the findings of the 8 ASH Scotland / NHS Health Scotland Young Peoples' Smoking Cessation pilot projects;
• Assisted with the design and implementation of a National Youth and Tobacco Prevention Strategy arising from the Ministerial Advisory Committee's response to the SPWG's recommendations.

Ongoing:

• Co-coordinated the STCA Youth Forum in support of national policy objectives;
• Facilitated and explored links between existing initiatives, policies and needs concerned with tobacco, cannabis, alcohol and other drug misuse as they relate to young people with a view to developing greater links between key stakeholders in these areas and developing effective Scottish policy responses and related resources;
• Supported, complimented and sought ways to maximise the tobacco-related work of NHS Boards, Health Promotion Departments, local authorities, the voluntary sector and community groups which promotes young people's well being;
• Promoted and facilitate the direct involvement of young people in shaping, delivering and evaluating tobacco related policies and activities;
• In liaison with training and development partners, promoted the appropriate incorporation of youth and tobacco issues into relevant training courses and initiatives or development of new resources based on identified need.