Dr Lesley Ashton, North Shields, talks to Fran Robinson about the guideline she has developed for referral for bronchiectasis and cough.

Fran Robinson talks to Dr Kevin Gruffydd-Jones about how to best manage respiratory tract infections in primary care and how careful decisions can be made when prescribing antibiotics.  This article was first published in the December 2015 Primary Care Respiratory Update

Here Dr Noel Baxter describes some top tips for managing breathlessness. This resource was first published in the December 2015 edition of Primary Care Respiratory Update.

Public Health England campaign Public Health England will be running a “Be Clear on Cancer campaign” focusing on the respiratory symptoms of a persistent cough and inappropriate breathlessness to encourage people with these symptoms to see their doctor.

Assessment and diagnosis

This opinion sheet provides practical guidance and tips on the diagnosis and management of tuberculosis in primary care and the responsibilities of the healthcare professional when TB is diagnosed.

An opinion sheet describing the diagnosis, treatment and referral requirements for bronchiectasis in primary care

Action points:

The new guideline focuses on prevention and education. It recommends:

The National Insititute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has published a new Pneumonia Quality Standard.   It contains two quality statements relevant to primary care:

This opinion sheet, based on the British Thoracic Society’s Guidelines on the management of Community Acquired Pneumonia, summarises the key aspects of the management of pneumonia in primary care

An opinion sheet outlining the key aspects for differential diagnosis of patients presenting with breathlessness

A summary of rhinosinusitis and its diagnosis and management in primary care