An estimated 1.2 million people are living with COPD in the UK1 and research suggests that this number is growing (BLF 2020). Both external and internal environments can be implicated in the aetiology and control of respiratory conditions and people living with COPD are especially vulnerable to exacerbations brought on by poor air quality. PHE estimates that between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths in the UK are thought to be attributable to human-made air pollution (PHE 2019).

What you need to know about flu vaccination In this article, originally writen by Gail Miles, published in 2018 and updated in 2020 by Ren Lawlor, we discuss the benefits of influenza vaccination, why we need to undertake this every year, who is eligible, which vaccines to use and dispelling common misconceptions about flu vaccination.  We also discuss strategies to increase vaccination uptake.

When Emma Thompson stepped into the role of chair of the South Yorkshire Respiratory Interest Group, a PCRS affiliated local group, she felt overwhelmed by the task ahead of her.

The PCRS Fit to Care document enables healthcare professionals of all disciplines to assess their competencies and any training needs they have to ensure they are  delivering safe and effective respiratory care.  Managers and commissioners can also use the document as a reference to ensure that the healthcare professionals they are responsible for are trained to do the job they are doing and to identify any gaps in their educational needs. 

PCRS has developed a series a checklists for self-reflection, help prepare for revalidation and identify training needs. ✔ GPs Self-Rating Checklist This document acts as a checklist to help evaluate how much we know (or feel confident about) and can be used in collaboration with a friend or mentor to test our self-perceptions and identify areas for further development

The Coronavirus pandemic has created a challenging environment for the delivery of care to patients with respiratory disease. As our knowledge of the disease continues to grow, guidance and best practice in the space continues to evolve.  We will keep this page updated with all the latest advice. 

On the 6 February, NHS England issued an update to the GP contract agreement 2020/21 to 2023–23/24. The update includes important improvements to the asthma and COPD domains.

Tracey Lonergan PCRS Policy Coordinator, reports on the highlights from the PCRS Respiratory Conference 2019 Service Development Stream.

Presented by Darush Attar-Zadeh and Katherine Hickman, this session challenged delegates on their prescribing habits and attention to patient behaviours, and provided tangible tools and techniques for immediate adoption into practice to improve asthma outcomes.