COPD Horizon Scanning Volume 4 Issue 1

Are pharmacists reducing COPD’S impact through smoking cessation and assessing inhaled steroid use?

Source:  Respiratory Medicine Volume 106, Issue 2, February 2012, Pages 230-234

Follow this link for the abstract.

Date of publication:  Feb 2012

Publication type:  Journal article

In a nutshell: Researchers from Manchester and New Zealand have looked at the contribution NW community pharmacists are making to the implementation of NICE guidelines on COPD by providing smoking cessation advice and reviewing inhaled corticosteroid prescriptions.

Length of publication:  4 pages

Some important notes: Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

IMPRESS Guide to Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR)

Source:  IMPRESS 

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication:  December 2011

Publication type:  Report

In a nutshell:

Prepared for commissioners, this report reviews the evidence, explains what PR is, how it works, its value and why it should be commissioned.  The report will supplement the ‘Commissioning Pack for COPD’ due to be published by the Department of Health early in 2012.

Length of publication: 20 page pdf

Health Survey for England

Source:  Information Centre

Follow this link for the full text  (chapter by chapter)

Date of publication:  December 2011

Publication type:  Report

In a nutshell:

Four chapters of the latest Health Survey for England cover respiratory health, including symptoms and lung function.

Length of publication: 4 chapters

Mortality for respiratory disease lower than 2001

Source:  Information Centre

Follow this link to the full text

Date of publication: Dec 2011

Publication type: News story

In a nutshell: New indicators published as part of the NHS Outcomes Framework include figures which show fewer people per 100,000 population aged below 75 are dying from respiratory disease compared to nearly a decade ago. All 30 indictors are now available for the first time on the NHS IC indicator portal.

Length of publication: 1 web page

How a COPD care bundle is reducing readmissions

Source:  HSJ 

Follow this link to an abstract of the article

Date of publication: 22 Nov 2011

Publication type: News story

In a nutshell: News of how a COPD care bundle is helping North West London Hospitals Trust reduce readmissions.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes: Original article may be available with an NHS Athens username; contact your local NHS library service for details. Follow this link to find your local NHS Library.

National emerging learning publications

Source:  NHS Improvement – Lung

Follow this link for the full text 

Date of publication:  December 2011

Publication type:  Report

In a nutshell:

The DH Respiratory Programme has been supporting the development of patient centred, evidence based and clinically led services by identifying and sharing innovative ways to reduce variations in care and improve the quality and experience of patients with COPD. It has now published:
First steps towards quality improvement: A simple guide to improving services
Improving earlier diagnosis and the long term management of COPD: testing the case for change
Improving end of life care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): testing the case for change
Transforming acute care in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): testing the case for change

Length of publication: 4 documents

Further dissemination

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Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

COPD Horizon Scanning Volume 3 Issue 10

Rational development of telehealth to support primary care respiratory medicine

Source:  Primary Care Respiratory Journal Volume 20 Issue 4 December 2011, pages 415-420

Follow this link for the abstract; link to full text pdf also available

Date of publication:  December 2011

Publication type:  Journal article

In a nutshell: Researchers in Scotland mapped the distribution of patients with asthma, COPD, lung cancer and obstructive sleep apnoea.  They then conducted interviews with health professionals to assess the individual and organisational capacities and attitudes likely to influence successful implementation ot telehealth services.

Length of publication:  6 pages

GPs face huge gaps in COPD funding

Source:  GP Online

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication: 16 November 2011

Publication type: News story

In a nutshell: News item reporting that “a lack of PCT investment in the ‘gold standard’ treatment for COPD is undermining patients’ quality of life and increasing practice workload”.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Asthma: North West hospitals see highest number of admissions in the country

Source: The Information Centre:

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication: 18th Nov 2011

Publication type: News story.

In a nutshell: North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) provisionally recorded 12,110 asthma admissions (175 per 100,000 of the population) in the 12 months to July 2011. This compares to an average (based on all 10 SHAs) of 6,810 admissions, or 130 per 100,000 of the population. The press release quotes other statistics and includes a link to the provisional Hospital Episodes report comtaining all the data.

Length of publication: 1 web page