Dr Alan Gijsbers

Quit is a program housed within The Cancer Council Victoria. It is made up of a small and diverse team of people committed to reducing the harmful effects of tobacco in Victoria.

More than 18,000 Australians die each year from tobacco related diseases.  Each week nearly 90 Victorians die from diseases caused by smoking compared with 12 deaths each week caused by alcohol, eight deaths each week caused by road accidents and less than four deaths caused by illicit drugs.

What are we about?
Quit's goal is to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco use, particularly the incidence of cancer, heart disease and respiratory disorders.

Quit's Objectives are:

-- to encourage and assist smokers to quit

-- to prevent as many young people as possible from taking up smoking

-- to reduce the number of places in which people will be exposed to the harmful substances in tobacco smoke

-- to support legislative and policy change to achieve the above objectives.

Campaigns
Quit runs campaigns to encourage quitting and raise the awareness of other tobacco related issues. We use a wide range of approaches and events to spread our message.

Programs
The Programs Team works with community groups. We provide services for the community such as services for smokers, policy support for workplaces and education programs for schools communities. 

Information Services
Quit has an information services team who provides tobacco information to colleagues and the general public.

QuitLine - 131 848 
can post a Quit Pack free of charge (contains: the Quit book which takes smokers through the stages of quitting, 4D's pocket card describing tips to deal with cravings & information on Quit's other services)

-- advisors provide personalised support and advice over the phone

-- confidential and accessible service at the cost of a local call from anywhere in Victoria (mobiles excepted)


To find out further information about Quit Services please call 131 848.

Area Serviced
Victoria Wide

The Cancer Council Victoria

 The Cancer Council Victoria is a public institution created by an Act of Parliament. It operates as a charity, relies heavily on volunteer support, and raises and spends $3&#8211;4 per head of population annually. It is governed by the Council, an Executive and other committees.

It has a central location in Melbourne and employs a staff of about 200&#8212;a large percentage of whom are university graduates. 

It houses three research divisions (epidemiology, behavioural science, clinical research) and units undertaking public and professional education, cancer data registration, development of patient services, cancer information and support services, anti-smoking campaign (Quit), finance, administration and fundraising. 

It also auspices and funds a cooperating network of cancer specialists (the Victorian Cooperative Oncology Group&#8212;VCOG) to facilitate the conduct of collaborative clinical research, and resources an expert Medical and Scientific Committee to dispense studentships, scholarships, fellowships and research grants to other academic, medical and research institutes.

If you or someone you know has cancer you may be feeling overwhelmed. 

You have probably been given a huge amount of written material and been told a thousand things, often in confusing medical terms. You are probably also facing a range of emotions. 

The Cancer Council Victoria is there to provide information and support for you and your family in a number of ways: 

-- Cancer Connect and Parents Cancer Connect

-- Cancer Helpline 

-- Cancer support groups 

-- Financial assistance 

-- Living With Cancer Education Program 

-- Multilingual Cancer Information Line 

For more information call the Cancer Helpline on 13 11 20.

Hours
You can contact the Cancer Information and Support Service Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 5.30 pm on 13 11 20.

The service offers support, education and community liaison to patients, families, general practitioners and other healthcare professionals.

Co-ordinator:	Ms Sue Casanelia

The Respiratory Outreach Program provides services to patients admitted with asthma and COPD to hospital, patients are visited and provided with information and educational material about their condition. This includes discussions about smoking cessation, vaccination recommendations, available exercise programs, use of action plans and advice re correct use of prescribed medications and inhaler devices.  Within 3 days of discharge from hospital, they will be reviewed by telephone to check on their progress.

A special hotline (Phone number 8345 6804) is in place to enable recently discharged patients with respiratory conditions to ring and talk to a respiratory nurse if they have any questions regarding their health.  The nurse will assess the patient's requirements and implement interventions as required such as suggesting the patient visit their general practitioner, come to the Emergency Department, or seek social work assistance.

Footscray Hospital - Western Health

DPV Health - Coleraine Street

DPV Health - Epping Centre

DPV Health - Meadow Heights

Services includinging: counselling, speech pathology, health coaching, diabetes educator, dietetics, physiotherapy, podiatry, planned activity groups,

Eltham Natural Healing Centre

DPV Health - Craigieburn

Services includinging: psychology, counselling, emergency relief,speech pathology, health coaching, diabetes educator, dietetics, physiotherapy, podiatry, planned activity groups, dental, paediatrics

Tobacco Free Clinic


The Tobacco Free Clinic offers support for people seeking to reduce or quit smoking.


 We are aware that it can sometimes be difficult to ask for help with reducing or quitting smoking.

We welcome you to our service and will do our best to be of assistance to you.

Our Tobacco Free Clinic Counsellors will work with you to identify and address your concerns regarding smoking.

Our aim is to give you the best opportunity for health, hope and a meaningful life.

Specialist counselling service to support you reduce or quit smoking

EACH - Ferntree Gully

Advice, information and ongoing support is provided by specialist trained Nurses to help clients quit smoking. Therapy modes may include nicotine replacement therapy, pharmacotherapy, group education and behaviour modification. Clients are managed in collaboration with their GP.
For further information, contact: 8746 1100.

Melton Health & Community Services

Djerriwarrh Health Services provides a wide range of acute, residential and primary care services to people in Melton and Moorabool Shires.

Community health services include allied health, community health nursing, podiatry, dietetics, occupational therapy, and counselling.

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Quit smoking in Melbourne

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Dr Alan Gijsbers