How Can the Healthcare Community Best Support COPD Patients and Their Carers?

It is thought that 3 million people in the UK have COPD, of whom 2 million are undiagnosed.¹ Without diagnosis, these patients are at risk of a lower quality of life, with a later diagnosis often associated with more frequent exacerbations.²

Despite a COPD diagnosis resulting in a significant burden to a patient and their carer,^3,4 market research suggests that there is still an unmet need in supporting this important patient group. Furthermore, the impact of caring for someone with a chronic disease is also often forgotten; similarly this is also an area of significant unmet need.

In this presentation Jacqui Pollington aims to explore practical ways for the healthcare community to support COPD patients, highlighting the various avenues for support available to both COPD patients as well as to those caring for someone with COPD.

References:

1. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). 2016. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in adults. NICE.

2. Larsson, L., Janson, C., Ställberg, B. et al. 2018. Impact of COPD diagnosis timing on clinical and economic outcomes: the ARCTIC observational cohort study. International Journal of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

3. Cruz, J., Marques, A., & Figueiredo, D. 2017. Impacts of COPD on family carers and supportive interventions: a narrative review. Health & social care in the community, 25(1), 11–25.

4. Failing on the Fundamentals: our COPD report. British Lung Foundation. November 2021.

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• Jacqui Pollington

  Respiratory Nurse Consultant

  Read biography
  Jacqui Pollington

  Respiratory Nurse Consultant Breathing Space in Rotherham

  Role and Location

  Jacqui Pollington is a Respiratory Nurse Consultant at Breathing Space in Rotherham. The service delivers respiratory assessments, management of obstructive and restrictive lung diseases, a comprehensive home oxygen service and pulmonary rehabilitation.

  Education

  Registered Nurse NMC

  Research interests

  The complexity of airways disease, the challenges of living with long term respiratory conditions and how we can best serve these needs. How to apply behavioural insights theory to the design and delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation. How to manage tobacco addiction.

  Memberships

  BTS workforce & service development committee, nurse SAG.