PCRS Policy

Why does PCRS work on policy? 

PCRS is the national voice representing respiratory expertise across primary and community care. We campaign and work with specialist and generalist partners to influence policy and set standards to help improve outcomes for people living with respiratory symptoms and illness in the UK.

How we do this?

• PCRS work with the NHS and other health organisations to make the case for ensuring comprehensive and realistic standards reach across the whole pathway of care.   We describe the evidence and emphasise what best practice for the NHS should be.
• We help design the incentives and mechanisms that will cascade high standards across the NHS. 
• We bring a unique contribution by combining both a respiratory and primary care perspective. 
• We can source the right members from a range of backgrounds to either represent PCRS or provide, as an individual, the best and current thinking to inform guidelines whether they be NICE, BTS or SIGN.
• Our well-developed network of generalists and specialists can provide a broad and detailed response to national consultation on a wide range of health and public health matters.

What is a consensus statement?

There will always be inevitable differences in opinion between clinical scientists and practitioners, both at an individual clinical management level but also at system level. PCRS through its robust consensus approach aims to make it easier for clinicians and service designers to be clearer on their path of action at any one time where multiple reputed voices have taken a view. Our consensus statements are based on the available knowledge at the time using as broad a range of expert view that we have available to us. We look at both clinical and cost effectiveness measures and we consider the matter from a UK political and social perspective.

The development of consensus also allows other parts of the Society to develop materials to then support clinicians or commissioners. This may be as articles within PCRU that provide a narrative to help understanding or a Pragmatic Guide that is a practical ‘how to’ approach to individual care or system design.

Stay up to date

• See our policy updates in each issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update and tips on how to support improved care at a local level
• Send us your view on a policy we should have, or an opinion we should update. We promise to share your thoughts with our Policy Forum and let you know whether it’s something we can take further.

If you are interested in more information about PCRS Opinion or how we can support you to use policy to improve care locally or to have your say on national policy, please contact the policy team.