Smoking-related hospital admissions in England increased by nearly 5% in 2022-23, compared to the previous year, but remain lower than before the Covid pandemic.
Latest statistics from NHS England show that in 2022-23 there were an estimated 408,700 hospital admissions due to smoking, a rise from 389,800 in 2021-22 (an increase of 4.8%).
The newly published figures in NHS England’s Statistics on Public Health, 2023 report also cover 2020-21, when there were 314,100 admissions attributed to smoking, which was consistent with fewer hospital admissions overall that year. Smoking-related admissions in each of the past three years were lower than in 2019-20, prior to the pandemic, when there were 446,400.
Around one in six (16%) of all hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in 2022-23 were estimated to be related to smoking, while it also caused 8% of all admissions for cancers and 7% of admissions for cardiovascular diseases. A new study also suggests a decades-long decline in smoking prevalence in England has stalled since the start of the pandemic.
The study, led by UCL researchers, funded by Cancer Research UK and published in the journal BMC Medicine, looked at survey responses from 101,960 adults and found the rate of decline has slowed to 0.3%.
Matt Fagg, NHS England’s Director for Prevention and Long-Term Conditions, said: “We have seen great progress in prevention and tackling smoking-related ill health in recent years, with smoking rates falling significantly in the UK and remaining below most of our peers internationally, but it is clear there is still more to do to help save and improve more lives.
“Quitting smoking is the best way to improve health and to prevent over 50 serious smoking-related illnesses from developing, but we know it can be very difficult to overcome an addiction. That is why the NHS is rolling out dedicated support for patients in hospital to tackle their tobacco dependency, in addition to traditional Stop Smoking Services.
“Being in hospital is a significant event in someone’s life and people can be more open to making healthier choices. The tobacco dependence treatment offered by the NHS can significantly improve the health and wellbeing of the person smoking and their family.”
The NHS is backing the government’s ambition for a smoke-free generation by 2030, with a focus on stopping people from starting to smoke.
