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Hospital patients across the North East and Yorkshire are being supported to quit smoking through an innovative digital app being used as part of an NHS pilot.

The premium version of the Smoke Free app is being offered to patients in selected acute and mental health NHS trusts during hospital stays. The app gives them access to personalised digital support to help them quit smoking and continue their quit journey once they return home.

Since the start of the pilot, there have been 417 downloads of the app, with 83 patients confirming they have quit smoking.

Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber has supported the pilot working in partnership with Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria, NHS England for North East and Yorkshire, Smoke Free and the four Integrated Care Boards across the region.

Yara Duaik, Project Manager at Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, said: “This project has shown how digital tools can complement the important work already happening in hospitals to support people to quit smoking. Introducing the Smoke Free app within acute services meant learning quickly from each trust and being flexible as the pilot developed, making sure the support could adapt to patients’ needs.

“What has been most encouraging is seeing patients engage with support that continues beyond the hospital stay, helping them maintain their quit journey once they return home. As we move into the evaluation phase, we hope the learning from this pilot will help shape more accessible and sustainable ways to support people to stop smoking across the NHS.”

Following the widening of the pilot’s scope to include additional NHS trusts and allow NHS staff to take part, a further 180 downloads have been recorded, showing growing uptake of the digital support across the region.

Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in England, responsible for around 74,000 deaths each year.

Rates in parts of the North East and Yorkshire remain higher than the national average, meaning many people are still living with smoking-related disease and placing significant pressure on hospital services.

Dr Joe Chidanyika, Programme Manager at Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria (HI NENC), one of the partners involved in the project, said: “Expanding the Smoke Free app pilot across more trusts has been a real step forward in supporting people, including NHS staff, to quit smoking.

“By combining digital tools with personalised guidance, we can reach patients at a crucial moment during hospital admission and continue that support once they return home.

“It is encouraging to see so many downloads and confirmed quits already, and this demonstrates the difference that collaboration across regions can make to public health.”

Participants in the pilot receive a free premium licence for the Smoke Free app, which provides tailored online support, practical advice and ongoing encouragement. Users can track smoke-free days, money saved and improvements to their health in real time, helping to maintain motivation.

Carlos, a patient at the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust who stopped smoking with the support of the app, said: “I’d smoked for over ten years, and although I’d tried to quit before, it had never worked.

“What really prompted the change was a hospital admission for another health issue. While I was there, they encouraged me to stop smoking and asked if I wanted to speak to the stop smoking advisor. I agreed to have a chat.

“She gave me some information, including details about the Smoke Free app, and I remember thinking it felt different from what I’d tried in the past. It felt new.”

Unlike many digital health tools, Smoke Free goes beyond self-help by offering 24/7 access to trained advisors who can provide guidance and encouragement throughout a patient’s quit journey.

Carlos added: “Having support available at any time was important for me. Anxiety doesn’t work to a schedule, and things can come up at any point in the day. Knowing the app was there, no matter what else was going on in my life, made it easier to keep going.”

Hospital admission can provide a key opportunity to support people to quit smoking, with around one in four patients admitted to hospital being smokers.

Introducing the app during admission allows patients to continue receiving personalised support after discharge, helping prevent relapse and supporting long-term improvements in health.

The pilot is now supporting patients across 12 NHS trusts in four Integrated Care Board regions.

The pilot has been extended until June 2026, providing further opportunities for patients to access digital support and take positive steps towards a smoke-free future.