Abstract

Author(s)

Michelle Quirk¹, Lydia Forbes²

Affiliations

1. Trevor Parry Centre, 2. Southern Adelaide Local Health Network Mental Health Services

Introduction

The Trevor Parry Centre (TPC) is a 20-bed residential rehabilitation service for mental health consumers in southern Adelaide. Operating 24/7 with a multidisciplinary team of clinical, non-clinical and lived experience staff, the TPC partners with consumers to develop goals for personal recovery and independent living, across an average 6mo stay. Noting the disproportionate numbers of people with severe mental illness who smoke and the significant associated physical health disparities within this vulnerable population, in 2023 the TPC team set about developing an evidence-based smoking cessation support program. The residents shared their insights about the reasons they smoked, past attempts at quitting, and barriers faced when trying to cut down. 67% of residents who smoked wanted to quit. Opportunities for smoking intervention were mapped across the rehabilitation pathway. Documentation trends were reviewed alongside the best-practice literature to inform the development of a screening tool.

Discussion

The program we developed, Beyond the Smoke, was launched in 2024 and consists of a multi-stepped assessment, incorporating nicotine dependence and breath CO levels, a tailored exploration of smoking patterns and reasons for use, and individualised goal setting. Customised education, support and follow up are built into the resident’s existing rehabilitation plan. Significant improvements occurred across the TPC grounds to offer inviting non-smoking spaces for leisure, socialisation, physical activity and rest. In future, we plan to incorporate on-site Peer Support groups and build in regular evaluation with consumer feedback at the centre.