The 1st July 2017 marks the tenth anniversary of the most important public health reform in generations – the ending of smoking in enclosed public places in England. This would be a great opportunity to focus on helping your patients to quit smoking.

A new position statement on treating tobacco dependency in primary care has been published by the International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG). The paper reinforces the key messages of the PCRS-UK tobacco dependency campaign which are:

World No Tobacco Day is a day designated by the World Health Organisation to highlight the health and additional risks associated with tobacco use.

Public Health England has launched a new respiratory symptoms awareness campaign, called ‘Be clear on Cancer’, which will run on radio, TV, press, digital and social media until 31 August.

This centre-fold pull-out chart from the Spring 2017 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update provides useful, succinct advice for healthcare professionals on appropriate tools to support respiratory diagnosis in primary care.

With an increasing workload and fewer staff, it has never been more important to find ways of supporting each other through PCRS-UK affiliated groups.

In this Delivering Excellence Locally article from the Spring 2017 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update Vikki Knowles reports on a pragmatic solution she has devised for training her colleagues to the required standards of the new national register of certified spirometry professionals and op

In this feature Getting the Basics Right article from the Spring 2017 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update, Dr Duncan Keeley discusses the role of microspirometry and peak flow to support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions in primary care.

The International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) with ‘asthmaxchange’ have developed learning modules that include some real-life histories to work through in the diagnosis, management and ongoing

Achieving an accurate diagnosis may take time and involves working with patients to help support their understanding about why there isn't always a quick answer or an immediate prescription.

Reflective practice is an important component of continuing professional development and the governing bodies of most professional groups require their members to submit detailed records as part of the revalidation/accreditation process.

In this document, first published in the Autumn 2016 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update and updated in 2018, PCRS-UK provides information on supporting smokers to quit, and how knowing and using the interventions available are the responsibility of all healthcare professionals

In this feature article produced in the Spring 2016 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update Noel Baxter explores how to help stratify people with asthma providing links to XML files you can access and use in your practice

In the Chair's Perspective feature of this edition of PCRU, Dr Noel Baxter discusses the importance of early and accurate diagnosis for respiratory conditions.

The 24th March is World TB Day which commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch announced his discovery of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.