Smoking cessation buddies in COPD.

After a buddy system was developed to support the pulmonary rehabilitation programme, staff at the Hope Street specialist respiratory service developed a buddy-led smoking cessation clinic to support patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and their family or carers, through their quit attempts. Initial findings showed the buddy-led clinic helped 83% of those who enrolled in the first six months to quit within four weeks. Results were sustained, with a 12-month long-term quit rate of 50%. Results suggest that specialist smoking cessation clinics for patients with COPD, supported by buddies with similar experiences, can improve motivation and short and long-term quit rates.