National recognition for local efforts to cut smoking and tackle health inequalities
The Smokefree Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Alliance is a finalist in the Innovation in Reducing Health Inequalities category in the MJ Achievement Awards.
The Smokefree BNSSG Alliance is a cross-council, NHS and community partnership, supported by public contributors who bring lived experience and act as critical friends, with a shared goal of reducing adult smoking prevalence to below 5% by 2030.
Tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of illness and the biggest driver of health inequality locally, concentrated in deprived areas and among manual workers.
There is a clear economic case to reduce smoking, costing Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire services around £828m annually across healthcare, social care, and workforce.
Councils play a key role in interventions beyond healthcare, supporting smokefree environments through enforcement, planning policies, workplace initiatives and community programmes.
Local innovations to support people include the rapid expansion of stop smoking services, the £2.2m-funded Swap to Stop programme – with 4,872 quit dates and 872 confirmed quits, and NHS Treating Tobacco Dependency services integrated into maternity, inpatient, and mental health pathways.
Matt Lenny, Director of Public Health for North Somerset Council and Senior Sponsor for the South West Smokefree Programme, said:
“Being nominated for this award is a fantastic recognition of the collaborative effort behind the programme. Reducing smoking rates is critical to narrowing health inequalities, and this work shows what can be achieved when local partners come together with a shared commitment to improving lives.”
Jeff Farrar, Chair of the NHS Gloucestershire ICB and NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB cluster, said:
“We’re very pleased to see this work recognised at a national level. Reducing health inequalities is a core priority for our Integrated Care System, and this nomination reflects the collective efforts of partners across health, local councils and the voluntary sector to improve outcomes for our communities.”
Tim Whittlestone, Bristol NHS Group Chief Medical and Innovation Officer, said:
“We are proud to be a partner in the Smokefree BNSSG Alliance and are pleased to see the impact it is having on the population we serve. In 2024/25 more than 500 (514) people stopped smoking after accessing support through our hospitals.
“It is fantastic to see this great work being recognised through these national awards.”
The Innovation in Reducing Health Inequalities Award celebrates public sector organisations addressing the wider determinants of health to improve outcomes for all.
Judges in the award category said the programme was a ‘serious, grown‑up alliance that’s clearly thought through. The mix of clinical pathways, peer support and behavioural science gives people proper help rather than pressure. Strong outcomes, good governance, and properly targeted at groups who usually slip through. This feels like change that sticks.’
Award winners will be announced in a ceremony on 19 June 2026.
More information about support to quit smoking is available on مجلس مدينة بريستول, مجلس شمال سومرست and South Gloucestershire Council smoke free websites.