CUTS to the stop smoking service could put lives at risk and increase costs for the NHS in the future, fears a Winsford doctor.

Free support to help all smokers to quit has been axed by Cheshire West and Chester Council.

Now, only teenagers, pregnant women and people with mental health conditions are eligible for free prescriptions to help them to give up the habit.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable ill health in England and is responsible for around 79,000 deaths every eyar.

Winsford Dr Neil Thomas is worried that patients who need support will not be able to afford it and their health could deteriorate putting them at risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer.

The Launceston Close surgery GP said: "Funding for the stop smoking services has been slashed as a result of a decision by councillors.

"This will have a significant impact on patients, particularly those who don't have much money. In areas of deprivation such as Winsford, our patients will continue to suffer high levels of poor health.

"At a time when we should be doing our utmost to support patients, it is scandalous to be in this position now."

He said doctors feared funding for health improvement programmes would suffer when public health was put under the control of local councils.

"We know that the council's funding levels have been hammered by the government," he said. "They are in a difficult position. We knew this would happen.

"This is a crucial, vital service that needs to be properly funded. It has been in place for a long time and has been very successful helping smokers to quit.

"It is an opportunity for patients to improve their health and that opportunity has now been taken away from them."

Dr Thomas is calling for urgent action to highlight the problem and try to restore the funding.

Winsford town Cllr Ailsa Gaskill-Jones, who promotes health, shares his concerns.

She said: "I appreciate that CWAC is under a lot of pressure through cuts in government funding but this decision is very disappointing.

"I'm a midwife so I am pleased that pregnant women are still eligible for free help but anyone else in the house who smokes is causing a health risk for young children.

"The stop smoking service is really important to the people of Winsford. I am worried about the long term effect of this policy. In 20 years time we could be seeing the implications."

CWAC cabinet member for communities and wellbeing, Cllr Louise Gittins, said: “Cheshire West and Chester Council, working with our NHS partners, plays a key role in supporting personal wellbeing within our residents and recognises that by working with our communities we can improve health and reduce the long-term pressures on health services.

“Overall, the number of smokers accessing smoking cessation services nationally continues to fall. The latest figures show that last year the number of successful self-reported quitters fell for the fifth consecutive year to 138,426. This was a decrease of 11 per cent on the previous year.

“Since 2015, smoking habits have drastically changed, with the introduction of e-cigarettes and tobacco consumption declining significantly – a trend we are still seeing. The result of this is that there is now a much smaller smoking population.

"The current figures for adult smokers in west Cheshire are 12.7 per cent compared to 19.4 per cent in 2014. Reflecting this national trend, the number of people supported by our stop smoking services that successfully quit has also dropped compared to previous years.

“The new service offers free support for residents in high risk groups, including pregnant women, teenagers aged 13-18 and those with enduring mental health problems. Residents outside of these group who require support to stop smoking will receive a leaflet with details of the Cheshire change hub and key contact details. The leaflet provides useful links and resources around healthy lifestyles, along with valuable information to help stop smoking.

“Like all local authorities we face ongoing financial challenges and need to reduce costs while maintaining services of a high standard. This includes managing the ongoing national cuts being made to the public health grant that helps fund these services.

"This year the money we spend on our wellbeing services has decreased by almost 50 per cent. Smoking cessation support, which is one element of this service, has had to be targeted at the people it can help most to ensure it has the most impact possible for our residents.

“We are working closely with our key public health partners to ensure the effective transition of the new service for the benefit of our residents.”