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Concerns about the environmental impact of the propellant gases used in pressurised metered dose inhalers (pMDIs) and the plastics used in all single-use inhaler devices have made them an important focus for efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the NHS. Patients themselves may also be concerned about the environmental impact of their inhalers and express a preference for alternatives. PCRS do not support ‘blanket switching’ of patients from one inhaler type to another.

Digital health has come to the fore with the COVID pandemic. Some apps and digital strategies are welcome and we wish we had adopted them years ago – other initiatives are not so effective and we have concerns about how they will affect the healthcare we provide. There are many apps, some approved or recommended by the NHS but how can clinicians be confident that they are recommending something that is safe and evidence based? Moreover, what support is there to help clinicians understand and patients use the apps they are recommending.

Vikki Knowles - Surrey: Minimising MDIs Independent Respiratory Nurse Specialist Vikki Knowles shares the early stages of work being done to minimise the use of Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs) in their practice in Surrey and how that can positively impact the greener healthcare environment.

Dr Kat Parker - Bristol: Switching to DPIs In this case study from Dr Kat Parker, she shares her experience of how her practice in Bristol has been switching patients from Metered Dose Inhalers (MDIs) to Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIs) where appropriate to do so, when and how they communicated with their patients, and how positive the experience has been for all involved.

Part of our Digital Technology Webinar Series 2022, exploring the ethics and inequalities of digital technology

In this webinar, PCRS leads Carol Stonham, Darush Attar-Zadeh and Dr Steve Holmes will explore, through a series of case histories shared by members, how we can challenge the old negative perceptions of COPD and show how lives can be transformed with the right advice with:

Part of our Digital Technology Webinar Series 2022, exploring the ethics and inequalities of digital technology  

Historically, clinical decision rules have been used to guide antibiotic prescribing for patients presenting with signs and symptoms that indicate possible RTIs or infectious exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (IE-COPD). Use of point of care testing (POCT) for C-reactive protein (CRP) addresses clinical uncertainty to support not prescribing antibiotics in appropriate low-risk patients. This approach has been shown to reduce unnecessary antibiotic use and is therefore an important tool in ensuring antibiotics are used appropriately.

Our intention is for the upper airways to be considered in tandem with the lower airways to avoid misdiagnosis and undermanagement. Implications for diagnosis and treatment are discussed and an algorithm offered. Both the original document and this summary have been produced as a consensus document based on a working group comprising PCRS members