Smoking Cessation Support Provided by Healthcare Professionals
Health professionals play a key role in triggering and supporting smokers to quit smoking. Smoking cessation interventions including very brief advice (VBA), brief intervention, behavioural support and medications is effective even when used independently. Combining different interventions and increasing intensity of intervention can further increase the success rate.
Information note on smoking cessation
To support health professionals in helping smokers to quit smoking, we have prepared a spectrum of resources ranging from patient pamphlets, referral forms to cessation clinics, VBA and brief intervention delivery flowchart, healthcare professional online training, to a Practical Handbook for Smoking Cessation Treatments:
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Very Brief Advice and Brief Intervention on Smoking Cessation - Online Training
This 1-hour online training course aims to equip health professionals with the skills of delivering very brief advice and brief intervention on smoking cessation.
Health professionals can advise patients to quit and refer smoking cessation service in 30 seconds , or provide smoking cessation counselling in 3 to 5 minutes.
Disclaimer: As announced by the Nursing Council of Hong Kong, the first Mandatory Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) Cycle has taken effect from 1 July 2026. As such, the CNE accreditation of the eLearning course will be temporarily suspended until further notice from the Nursing Council.
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Brief Intervention on Smoking Cessation in Primary Care Setting
Healthcare professionals can deliver brief intervention on smoking cessation in 3 to 5 minutes, using 5A’s and 5R’s models, together with pharmacotherapy to assist patient in smoking cessation.
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Motivational Interviewing for Smoking Cessation
Motivational interviewing (MI) is a collaborative conversation style that strengthens a person's motivation and commitment to change. It has proven to be effective in changing addictive behaviours, especially in the context of smoking. MI is widely adopted by smoking cessation providers to assist smokers in their journey towards quitting.
Disclaimer: As announced by the Nursing Council of Hong Kong, the first Mandatory Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) Cycle has taken effect from 1 July 2026. As such, the CNE accreditation of the eLearning course will be temporarily suspended until further notice from the Nursing Council.
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Practical Handbook for Smoking Cessation Treatments
This practical handbook acts as a toolkit for delivering smoking cessation advice in clinical setting. It includes:
- Counselling framework
- Regimen for pharmacotherapy
- Outcome measure
- Information on smoking cessation services
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Clinical Guideline of Acupuncture and Moxibustion for Smoking Cessation (Hong Kong Edition)
Founded on the principles outlined in the “Clinical Practice Guidelines of the World Federation of Acupuncture-Moxibustion Societies”, the Guideline has been tailored to reflect the characteristics of local acupuncture and moxibustion practices, making it a practical and applicable resource for the local context. Acupuncture and moxibustion smoking cessation therapy includes filiform needling and auricular acupuncture.
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Referral to Smoking Cessation Services
Health professionals can now refer quitters to free smoking cessation service by faxing the completed referral form to 2156 0521 after obtaining consent from the client to transfer his/her contact information to DH. Our counsellors will contact the quitter within 5 working days.
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Factsheet and Pamphlet
Healthcare professionals can deliver brief intervention on smoking cessation in 3 to 5 minutes, together with pharmacotherapy to assist patient in smoking cessation.
DH has prepared some factsheets, pamphlets and posters that you can deliver to your patients.
Any adaptation or modification requires prior approval. Should you wish to adapt or modify these resources, please contact us.
Other Online Training Materials
eLearning ABC – Help your client quit smoking
Disclaimer: As announced by the Nursing Council of Hong Kong, the first Mandatory Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) Cycle has taken effect from 1 July 2026. As such, the CNE accreditation of the eLearning course will be temporarily suspended until further notice from the Nursing Council.
WHO e-Learning course “Training for primary care providers: brief tobacco interventions”
Application Form for Supporting Materials for Health Professionals