This module will help you develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence to promote smoking cessation, recognise the signs and symptoms of lung cancer, and support the early detection and referral of people with suspected lung cancer.

It aims to:

• Improve awareness of the relationship between smoking and lung cancer, and the important role smoking cessation plays in reducing cancer risk and improving health outcomes.
• Empower pharmacy professionals to provide evidence-based smoking cessation advice, support informed decision-making, and contribute to the early identification of potential lung cancer cases.
• Enhance understanding of the signs and symptoms of lung cancer, including when referral for further investigation may be appropriate.

This module has been primarily designed for pharmacy professionals working in community pharmacy and primary care settings. However, it may also be useful for those working in hospital and other healthcare settings who wish to expand their knowledge of smoking cessation and lung cancer prevention.

Estimated completion time: 45 minutes

Learning from this module complements content covered in the following module:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): an introduction
• Consultation skills

Learning objectives

After completing this module, you should be able to:

1. Discuss the prevalence of smoking in Great Britain.
2. Recognise the harmful effects of smoking on different body systems.
3. Apply brief interventions (VBA+) to support smoking cessation and refer appropriately to local services.
4. Identify and manage red flag symptoms of lung cancer.
5. Describe how you can contribute to improving early detection of lung cancer through screening support, patient engagement, and emerging diagnostic pathways.

This module was developed in conjunction with British Oncology Pharmacy Association (BOPA)