If you are due to have an operation, one of the best things you can do to improve your recovery time is to give up smoking.

Giving up smoking for just two days before your op can make a huge difference, but giving up a few weeks or months before your stay is even better.

We understand it’s hard to quit smoking, but you are up to four times more likely to quit with help and support. Our trained advisers can help you find the right treatment for you, whether that is one-to-one sessions, group support, or advice on nicotine replacement therapy and other medications.

There are two main reasons:

• Firstly because quitting before or during your hospital stay can speed up your recovery and reduce the risk of complications after your op.
• Secondly because a hospital is a smoke free environment so there is no facility for smoking in any area.

There are lots of other reasons why it is important you try to stop before your op. These include:

• Wounds heal more quickly. Smokers’ wounds take longer to heal
• You will not need as much anaesthesia for surgery, which means a shorter recovery time
• Less likelihood of getting a chest infection after your op
• Less time spent in the recovery room and less need for extra oxygen
• Lower risk of dangerous blood clots after surgery
• Less need for pain relief after surgery