About Very Brief Advice (VBA)

A one hour face-to-face online course. These courses are designed for organisations and groups and can be arranged on request.

Learning objectives

Practitioners will be able to explain what very brief advice (VBA) on smoking is, the purpose and its benefits. They will be able to introduce very brief advice into their interactions with people who smoke, reflect on their own role and be aware of the support and services available to help people to stop smoking.

Smokefree Families is a service for pre-conception, pregnancy and any significant others who want to quit to support someone in pregnancy. It is also for any household with children under 5 years old. Support is offered in the home and by phone.

The service provides information on:

• Understanding addiction, why people smoke
• What is on a cigarette and what are the health harms
• Benefits of quitting
• Smoking in pregnancy
• Smoking and the family
• Secondhand smoke
• Raising the subject
• Very brief advice
• Ambivalence and rolling with resistance
• Referral pathways
• What the Smokefree Families Service offers
• Resources and further training