The Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRS) broadly welcomes the proposed reforms set out in the new Government Health White Paper,

While the focus of primary care services is rightly on the delivery of Covid-19 vaccinations it’s important we don’t lose sight of our longer term ambitions for improving the nations lung health.

Patients with respiratory disease deserve equal access to early and accurate diagnosis, high standards of care, delivered by practitioners with suitable training and experience.

The start of a new year is an ideal time to support patients to consider small ways to begin working towards a healthy lifestyle.

PCRS is proud to be a part of the latest edition of the Respiratory Health Campaign developed by Media Planet in partnership with IPCRG, British Lung Foundation, Asthma UK, and Global Action Plan.

NCSCT and Public Helth England have announced the resumption of face-to-face stop smoking consultations and carbon monoxide (CO) monitoring. CO monitoring is a valuable motivational tool for smokers.

PCRS has produced a new position statement on spirometry.  In the statement we discuss who should undertake and interpret spirometry and when it should be undertaken, specifically in light in COVID-19 restrictions.  The statement also references primary care network diagnostic hubs.

Spirometry, a test used to measure and monitor lung function, is an important component of the diagnosis, management and monitoring of respiratory conditions in primary care.

PCRS is calling today (18th November 2020) for action to promote greener healthcare that is kinder to the environment and in turn helps patients who live with COPD to live well.

Peak flow charting and microspirometry are undervalued in guidelines and were underused in primary care even before the COVID pandemic, but have enhanced importance now given the difficulties with access to more formal respiratory function testing.

Noel Baxter PCRS Policy Lead and Tracey Lonergan PCRS Policy Coordinator.

Clare Cook Physiotherapist, Clinical Lead of a community respiratory team in Bristol, member of PCRS Executive Committee and Chair of the PCRS Respiratory Leadership Group in conversation with Dr Elaine Bevan-Smith Associate COPD Specialist South West of England Academic Health Science Network an

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) has been included as a key intervention in the NHS Long Term Plan. However the PR audit1 showed that only 62% of people referred go on to complete the course.