RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Translating

evidence-based guidelines into practice: a survey of practices of commissioners and managers of the English stop smoking services Máirtín S McDermott1*, Heather Thomson1,2†, Robert West1,3†, Jennifer AM Kenyon1 † and Andy McEwen1,3† Background: The English National Health Service’s (NHS) Stop Smoking Services (SSSs) constitute one of the most highly developed behavioural support programmes in the world. However, there is significant variation in success rates across the approximately 150 services, some of which may be due to variation in practice. This study aimed to assess these differences in practice. Methods: Two online surveys were administered. All commissioners (people who purchase services for the NHS) and managers (those who run the services) of NHS SSSs in England were invited to participate. Items included details of current practices and services provided, what informed the commissioning of SSSs, what targets were included within service specifications and whether the types of treatment model to be delivered were specified. Results: Both surveys had a response rate of 35%, with 50 commissioners and 58 managers participating. Ther