Performance across different services and between individual practitioners can be variable, but all local stop smoking services need to provide a consistent, high-quality service. Although interventions should be tailored to match the smoker, there is some benefit in having an evidence-based framework that forms the basis of all interventions. The NCSCT has evidence for the effectiveness of a range of behavioural change techniques (BCTs), which have been incorporated into an NCSCT Standard Treatment Programme that consists of six sessions: pre-quit, quit date and four post-quit sessions.

The Standard Treatment Programme also acts as a guide to help practitioners structure the content of weekly, individual face-to-face interactions with smokers and gives examples of questions and phrases to use when undertaking interventions. Read more about the Standard Treatment Programme.