Welcome to this special PCRS 2025 Health Inequalities newsletter. It introduces you to our new series of podcasts which bring you everything you need to know on caring for people with respiratory disease who are impacted by health inequalities and severe mental illness.

There are links between respiratory disease and mental health issues, and we know that mental illness increases smoking rates affecting the prevalence and impact of respiratory disease.

The podcasts described below will help you address the issues raised by these conditions and come up with strategies to help your patients; by providing both clinical tips and suggestions for changes in service delivery.

This podcast series, newsletter and introductory VLOG has been supported by Norfolk & Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB).

A potentially moving and challenging listen, exploring what happens when a patient arrives in prison as a prisoner with respiratory symptoms.

• The lack of long-term conditions management
• Stairs and access issues
• Staff training – looking at people with compassion
• Accessing primary care and important interventions
• Lack of continuity in care across medical and prison services
• The challenges that poor literacy can pose to caring for people in prisons

Tune in for an educational and informative episode that raises many issues around this evocative topic. Our speakers discuss how to treat the person with respiratory disease and ensure that their mental health is considered when tailoring therapy and reducing risk factors.

• Anxiety and the symptom of breathlessness – untangling the conundrum
  • Short-acting beta2-agonist (SABA) over use and symptoms of anxiety often co-exist
• Treating co-morbidities and treating the patient as a whole
• The teenage years and asthma
• Access to psychological support for these patients

A tactful and informative podcast raising awareness about this often-distressing subject – including how to explore, support, and incorporate mental health conversations into respiratory health consultations.

• How to normalise these conversations
• How to raise the link between poor mental health and respiratory disease with patients
• The challenges faced by specific respiratory diseases and their differences
• Conversations to be had when discussing a terminal diagnosis
• Suicide is not always preventable or avoidable – how do we support the family the team caring for these patients after the event

This podcast is about suicide and suicide prevention in individuals with chronic respiratory disease and some listeners may find the contents distressing. If you are affected by this podcast, please seek support by contacting the Samaritans or by dialling 111 or by using the Phone First service if you are based in Northern Ireland.

PCRS has several resources which can supplement the information and guidance offered by this Healthcare Inequalities project. Please access these here:

Please complete this short evaluation form to help us assess the success and impact of this project and it’s outputs.

You are receiving this message as you've opted in to receive occasional emails. You can update your communication preferences at any time. Alternately, you can opt out of all email marketing.

We’re grateful to our corporate supporters for their financial support which supports the core activities of the Charity and allows PCRS to make its services either freely available or at greatly reduced rates to its members. See PCRS statement on pharmaceutical funding.

Charity Number 1098117 Company Number 4298947 VAT Registration Number 866 1543 09  +44 (0)1675 477600 | info@pcrs-uk.org | https://www.pcrs-uk.org