In this article Anthony Ball and Rachel Williams provide a summary of why it is so important to address poor housing as a way of tackling health inequalities. They outline some of the key issues, potential barriers to and opportunities for addressing poor housing, as well as some top tips for primary care. This article is also accompanied by a PCRS summary of the impact of poor housing on individuals with respiratory disease.

Digital technology aims to improve access to healthcare. However, for certain individuals with respiratory conditions, it may introduce additional barriers rather than eliminating existing ones.

This article aims to support healthcare professionals working within general practice to implement Ten ways to implement sustainable greener healthcare in primary care respiratory practice, a publication from the Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRS). It offers practical tips, resources and advice on steps you can take to prioritise options and break down the activities required into manageable tasks. 

The UK Inhaler Group (UKIG) has produced a practical concise guide to support healthcare professionals in selecting and using spacer and valved holding chamber (VHC) devices for patients with asthma and COPD. Appropriate spacer/VHC selection and use can improve drug delivery, optimise disease control, and reduce treatment-related side effects. The guide highlights that selecting the right spacer matters just as much as choosing the right inhaler and that the best device is one a patient can and will use.

Asthma is a long term condition caused by inflammation of the airways leading to wheeze, cough, breathlessness and chest tightness. It is the most common chronic condition in childhood, affecting around 1.1 million children in the UK, equivalent to three children in every classroom. Many children with asthma also have atopy, meaning they are more likely to develop allergic conditions such as eczema or allergic rhinitis.

CARRii (Centre for Applied Respiratory Research & Innovation) is a UK research centre dedicated to enhancing lung health by supporting the implementation of high-quality research into clinical practice, with the aim of reducing hospital admissions, easing NHS winter healthcare pressures, and improving patient outcomes.

Anaphylaxis is a time-critical emergency. Prompt intramuscular (IM) adrenaline remains the first-line treatment, rapidly reversing airway oedema, vasodilatation and bronchospasm (MHRA, 2023). However, barriers such as fear of needles, incorrect injection technique or hesitancy are well documented and may delay or impair its administration. In real-world settings, these human factors can influence outcomes as much as the pharmacotherapy itself.

This edition of PCRU follows an exciting few months at the Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRU). As part of the Respiratory Transformation Partnership (RTP), PCRS is supporting the development of new primary care referral pathways and resources for chronic cough, breathlessness and sleep services, ensuring these are aligned with primary care systems and supporting clinicians with their everyday practice in these areas. 

With the new maintenance and reliever therapy (MART) license for children, this simple guide provides information and guidance on introducing children of 5-11 years of age safely and effectively to a MART regimen. It covers: