Search

In this episode of the PCRS Podcast our Executive Chair, Dr Katherine Hickman, is joined by Dr Llinos Jones, Consultant Respiratory Physician with a specialist interest in asthma.Llinos is passionate about tackling health Inequalities and has created a number of fantastic multilingual resources in order to support asthma patients. During this conversation Llinos and Katherine discuss how we can improve our patients' care and understanding by overcoming cultural and language barriers.

Antibiotics are crucial for managing infectious diseases and preventing complications like pneumonia or sepsis. However, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a growing global health threat, contributing to over 3 million deaths annually. While resistance can occur naturally, the misuse and overuse of antibiotics significantly accelerate this process, rendering treatments less effective or ineffective. 

Are you curious about how research can fit into your everyday clinical practice? In the this In Conversation with the Chair, Katherine chats with Dr Jane Watson, who shares insights on how healthcare professionals can integrate research into their routine, from simple steps to bigger initiatives.

Join Frances Barrett (Respiratory Nurse Specialist and PCRS Service Development Committee Member) and Darush Attar-Zadeh (Clinical Fellow Pharmacist and PCRS Executive Committee Member) as they dive into the incredibly important topic of Tobacco Dependency.During their conversation Darush shares fascinating insights into the current data and progress that the UK has made with regards to smoking, but equally the exceptional challenges we face in helping people overcome their dependency.

2024 marked a pivotal change in the management of asthma in the UK with the publication of a joint British Thoracic Society (BTS), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guideline. This guideline, ‘Asthma: diagnosis, monitoring and chronic asthma management’, has the potential to be the paradigm shift that is needed to improve asthma care in the UK. 

The Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRS) believe that by working together we can achieve more environmentally friendly respiratory healthcare. It has identified six key areas that require action by individual healthcare professionals, as well as commissioners, professional organisations and the pharmaceutical industry. 

Over the past 20-years, there has been an increased focus on the use of newer biologic medication in people with severe asthma that is not controlled with usual asthma medication. Although there are currently six biologics (January 2025) licensed for use in severe asthma, estimates suggest that of the 60,000 people potentially eligible for biologics in England, only 8,000-10,000 are on these treatments. 

Joining Dr Daryl Freeman (PCRS Executive Committee Member, Associate Clinical Director with Norfolk Community Health and Care, and Respiratory ICB Lead for Norfolk and Waveney) on this episode of the PCRS Podcast is Professor Mike Crooks (Professor of Respiratory Medicine at Hull York Medical School and Hull University Teaching Hospitals with particular interest in airways disease).

As healthcare professionals, we face the dual challenge of providing high-quality care while also minimising our environmental footprint. Primary care practices, particularly in respiratory care, have a unique opportunity to implement sustainable practices that not only benefit patients but also reduce the impact on our planet. This article outlines 10 strategies, divided into top wins and other things to consider, which can be used to create a greener healthcare environment.