Ealing PCT ... Inequalities collaborative targets Somali cafés
TB worker Ahmed Yassin, a member of the inequalities collaborative team, and project manager Awale Kullane spread the stop smoking message on the streets of Southall in September 2005.
They set up a stand providing information in English and Somali about the services offered by our Stop Smoking Service. Passers by were curious to see what they were promoting outside the cafes on the Green in Southall.
They especially liked having their CO levels checked. People were asked to blow into a machine that produces a reading indicating their level of exposure to tobacco smoke.
They were then directed to the Ealing Stop Smoking Service, which has a range of drop-in or group sessions for people wanting to quit. The team is looking into the possibility of setting up sessions for particular groups and these could be run in other languages, depending on demand.
More people then expected - nearly 70 in all, young and old - had their CO levels checked and more than 100 hundred leaflets were handed out. The team raised awareness and answered questions about the Stop Smoking Service and other health-related issues.
For more information about free Stop Smoking Services, please visit Ealing PCT's website at www.ealingpct.nhs.uk and click on the Quick Links stop smoking section for further details, including locations and clinic times. Or if you prefer, you can call us on 0845 111 0155.