The Spring 2019 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update is now online, packed with articles that will keep you up to date with the latest respiratory developments. Highlights include:

People with COPD feel independent and enjoy support from family and friends with good access to amenities when healthcare and social support works well, reports a study which investigated  what matters to people wit

A consensus-based article setting out a practical approach to conflicting advice in recent COPD guidance updates has been published by PCRS.

The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) has released a 2019 update to their Pocket Guide for Asthma Management and Prevention and the Pocket Guide on Diagnosis and Management of Difficult-to-treat and Severe Asthma in

Respiratory nurse practitioner Carol Stonham will achieve two PCRS firsts when she takes over from Dr Noel Baxter as Executive Chair in September 2019. She will become both the first female and the first nurse leader, reflecting the changing and progressive outlook of PCRS.&nb

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An integrated disease management (IDM) and structured follow up intervention reduces severe exacerbations and urgent primary care visits in people with high risk COPD.

Updated guidance on the diagnosis and treatment of non-small-cell and small-cell lung cancer has been published by NICE.

A mobile friendly asthma slide rule has been added to the Asthma Right Care website.

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:

Tobacco dependency support is declining in GP practices and pharmacies and only half of local authorities now offer universal specialist stop smoking services.

An overloaded health system, lack of smoking cessation services and insufficient training are preventing primary care practitioners from using evidence based interventions to help patients to quit smoking.

Nominations have opened for the Chief Allied Health Professions Awards creating an opportunity for allied health professionals to showcase their innovative and high quality respiratory work.

Healthcare professionals should raise awareness of the dangers of air pollution with patients with chronic respiratory and cardiovascular conditions, says a new Quality Standard on air pollution

A cross-party group of MPs has set out a range of tough measures to tackle tobacco dependency including raising the minimum age of sale for tobacco to prevent youngsters taking up the habit.