Primary care clinicians are reminded that important changes to respiratory QOF indicators introduced by the new GP contract become effective from April 1. The changes are:

In the third in our series of snapshot case vignettes aimed at illustrating self-management opportunities Dr Iain Small brings you the case of Gerald. Three healthcare professionals have provided their feedback on the case. How would you respond?

Issue 16 of PCRU looks back over the year and looks forward to the future of respiratory care 

NICE has published an update to its 2010 guidance on the diagnosis and management of COPD which makes recommendations on the most effective inhaled therapies, oxygen therapies, lung volume reduction procedures, and self-management and exacerbat

GOLD (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease) has updated its strategy for the diagnosis, management and prevention of COPD. There are two key changes:

A Respiratory Dashboard has been developed by a group of respiratory specialists established by the NHS Business Services Authority to highlight the variation in prescrib

The National Asthma and COPD Audit Programme (NACAP) has launched registration for its pulmonary rehabilitation workstream.

Researcher Leah Jayes, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Nottingham, is seeking respiratory interested healthcare professionals to help with a British Lung Foundation funded study into osteoporosis and fracture risk in patients with COPD.

Offering personalised interventions to high risk patients with COPD to enhance their inhaler technique could both improve health outcomes and save around £748 a year, say researchers.

Two important new NICE consultations on new COPD guidance have been published.

Chronic lung disease is a common and growing problem in Africa affecting around 1 in 8 adults. The main forms are COPD, asthma and post TB lung disease.

Developed by the PCRS Service Development Committee, the Respiratory Service Framework (RSF) helps those looking to design a patient focussed respiratory service working across all sectors of out of hospital care to see the ideal components for a given population of patients.

In this article from Primary Care Respiratory Update, Spring 2018, Fran Robinson, discusses the use of rescue packs with Dr John Hurst, Honorary Consultant at the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and Reader in Respiratory Medicine at University College (UCL) London.

PCRS-UK has published an algorithm to identify people with COPD who might benefit from inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment and those in whom it may not be appropriate. It also offers an approach to withdrawing ICS in patients in whom it is not needed.

Second Opinion.  Your respiratory questions answered… This question was posted by a PCRS-UK member and is answered by Dr Iain Small and Dr Vince Mak.