Bolton stop smoking advisor rewarded for her dedication

Tracey Holliday collecting the Smokefree Pregnancy Award

A Bolton NHS worker who has helped hundreds of pregnant women quit smoking received an award for her contribution to public health at a North West awards ceremony.

Tracey Holliday received the Smokefree Pregnancy Award from Smokefree North West at an awards ceremony at the City Inn, Manchester, to mark the 10 Year Anniversary of Stop Smoking Services in the region. Since 1999, North West Stop Smoking Services have collectively helped 371,693 people quit smoking.

Stop Smoking Advisor Tracey used her initiative to create a new system to track how and when women quit smoking during their pregnancy. The system has proved so successful during trials at Bolton Stop Smoking Service that it is now being adopted by other services across the region, helping improve the support available for thousands of pregnant women across the North West.

Tracey said: “Stopping smoking during pregnancy is the single most important thing that a mother can do to for both the health of her baby and herself, more than anything else suggested by your midwife. I love my job as I can help women realise their goal of giving up smoking. It’s not as difficult as they might imagine with professional support.

“I was delighted to be even nominated for this award, winning really shocked me as so much good work is being carried out across the North West.”

Tracey’s work is particularly important as smoking rates amongst pregnant women in Bolton stand significantly higher than the national average, with 21 per cent of pregnant women smoking compared to 14 per cent of pregnant women nationally.

Chair of Smokefree North West Dr Janet Atherton, who presented the award, said: “It is important that we recognise and celebrate today that over the past 10 years more than one third of a million people have been helped to quit smoking by North West Stop Smoking Services.

“Tracey has made a fantastic contribution to help people live longer and healthier lives, and she deserve our thanks for that.”

Elizabeth Wigg, from Bolton Stop Smoking Service, nominated Tracey. She added: “The continuing decrease in the smoking in pregnancy rate in Bolton is no doubt partly due to Tracey’s dedication to protecting unborn children and her understanding and supportive approach to helping women of Bolton quit smoking during pregnancy. She is a very worthy winner of this award.”

Pregnant women and general members of the public who want professional support to give up smoking can contact Bolton Stop Smoking Service on 01204 462 345.