In February 2020, the Institute of Health Equity published its landmark report, Marmot Review 10 Years On. It highlighted that for the first time in 100 years, life expectancy has failed to increase across the country, and for the poorest 10% of women it has actually declined.

Smoking is the primary cause of COPD and, according to NHS figures, is thought to be responsible for 9 in every 10 cases of the condition.

Join Ren Lawlor (Independent Nurse Consultant and Vice-Chair of PCRS) and Steve Holmes (GP and PCRS Committee Member) as they discuss vaping and e-cigarettes.

Join Steve Holmes (GP and PCRS Committee Member) and Ren Lawlor (Independent Nurse Consultant and Vice-Chair of PCRS) who give their top tips for smoking cessation. They share their experience of supporting patients with advanced COPD and lung cancer to stop smoking.

In this new series, for both existing and non-members of PCRS, we will be briefly discussing some pertinent respiratory topics

PCRS believe that it is the responsibility of every healthcare professional to treat tobacco dependency systematically and effectively. PCRS advocate that people wishing to quit using tobacco should be offered the most effective but also the least harmful methods first to support a quit attempt.

Can Only Plan Daily - COPD is a serious disease needing the right diagnosis and treatment with the person’s need sitting front and centre.

This 'Get Winter Wrapped' issue focuses on the twin challenges of winter pressures and coping with COVID-19.  

Originally presented at the PCRS Respiratory Conference 2020 Dr Nicolas Hopkinson presents on Inhaled Substances: What nicotine use should we be supporting in the COVID 19 era

In this summary document Dr Noel Baxter describes tobacco dependency as a long term relapsing condition that usually starts in childhood.  In the document he outlines simple steps you can take to support patients to quit including Very Brief Advce (VBA) and he outlines the treatments availab

E-cigarettes have become increasingly popular in recent years. The main reason given by current vapers for using e-cigarettes is to help them stop smoking tobacco. This pragmatic article provides information on the safety and effectiveness of e-cigarettes as a stop smoking tool.

The exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) test detects exposure to CO in the last 12-18 hours. This can be used to assess smoking status AFTER a quit attempt and used prior to a quit attempt as a motivational tool.

Q: My patient smokes cigarettes and has a BMI of 43, they drink 45 units of alcohol a week and their physical activity is limited. What should I do first or is it better to tackle all together?