JOBS are 'at risk' after the county council announced changes to stop smoking services in Gloucestershire.

Stop smoking services will no longer be provided by Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust after Gloucestershire County Council (GCC), the commissioner of healthy lifestyles services, chose not to renew its contract.

GCC has signed a new contract with ICE Creates to provide help for people looking to stop smoking and losing weight, which will come into effect in January.

A 'small number' of jobs are at risk as a result of the changes, Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust has said.

Tina Ricketts, director of human resources at Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust, said: “Due to the end of our contract on December 31, 2016 for the provision of a Healthy Lifestyles Service there are a small number of staff at risk.

“I am working with these colleagues to maximise opportunities to redeploy them to other services within the Trust.

"We are still working through the details but we will do all we can to minimise the impact on our workforce."

It comes after Cancer Research UK and the campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) found 57 per cent of local authorities in the South West were forced to reduce their stop smoking service budgets last year.

Cuts to public health spending have put "enormous pressure" on councils, which are required to deliver these services, the organisations say.

Cancer Research UK launched a campaign in November called Don't Quit on Us, calling on councillors and the public to protect stop smoking services.

County councillor Brian Oosthuysen (Lab, Rodborough), shadow member for public health and communities, said: "I am concerned about the future of this provision, not only because of potential job losses but also because of the slow move away from the NHS providing care and services to residents.

"We have to be vigilant and fight back at any attempts to privatise or diminish the NHS, we will have to see what the council does about taking up this contract, but I can tell you now that if it were a Labour run county council we would not be making this decision.

"People’s health is far too important to contract out to the private sector, especially when it comes to stop smoking services."

County council bosses say the new provider will allow for a more 'joined up' approach, allowing people to get help to stop smoking, lose weight, cut down on alcohol or be more active from the same service.

Cllr Andrew Gravells (Con, Abbey) cabinet member for public health, said: “This new service will make a real difference in helping people in our county stay healthy.

"We know that’s not just good news for them, but it also helps the NHS and councils avoid significant costs of dealing with ill health further down the road. "We have seen some fantastic results in the county already and a combined service tackling all lifestyle concerns at once will make that even more effective."

Stop smoking services have been provided by the NHS in Gloucestershire since 2010, by Gloucestershire Care Services NHS Trust from 2013 and its predecessor NHS Gloucestershire before then.

It is one of the most successful services in the country, having helped 36,000 quit smoking.

Anybody currently receiving support will be transferred over to the new service, which will remain free of charge.

Call 0800 1223788 for access to the new healthy lifestyles service, including help to stop smoking, lose weight, cut down on alcohol or be more active.