From June 2012, ambulance staff will be given up to 60 seconds longer to get more information from Red 2 calls. This will not necessarily translate into a 60 second delay, in many cases it will mean that a more appropriate response vehicle gets to the patient more quickly. Under the new system the Government will expect Ambulance Trusts to get to more critically ill patients within the 8 minute national target.

 Allowing staff to establish more information about the incident they are responding to will ensure that they are able to send the most appropriate response vehicle first time to patients, meaning that less ambulance journeys are wasted or cancelled and that there are more ambulances available for all the patients that need them. For the most serious calls, where every second counts, ambulances will continue to be dispatched immediately.

 Two pilots trialling the changes inLondonand theWest Midlandstook over 22,000 calls and showed those in critical need were reached at least 40 seconds faster, and demonstrated at least a 24% reduction in cancellations. If replicated elsewhere, this would result in saving at least 650,000 wasted ambulances journeys acrossEngland.  While top priority calls were reached up to 40 seconds quicker, Red 2 calls were responded to between 27 seconds quicker and 9 seconds slower.  The nature of Red 2 incidents is such that a 9 second delay would not have a negative impact on the patient.

 Ambulances must reach 75 per cent of all patients who need urgent medical assistance within 8 minutes. In order to meet this target, Ambulance Trusts frequently send more than one vehicle – such as an ambulance and a Rapid Responder – to each patient, known as ‘double dispatch’.  But on average, over 20 per cent of these vehicles are then cancelled on route before reaching the scene, wasting vital resources which could and should be used for other patients.  Because the new system will free up more vehicles, Ambulance Trusts will be expected to work towards responding to 80 per cent of the most urgent patients within 8 minutes.

 These changes come in response to evidence presented by ambulance staff as well as reports by the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee in 2011.

 Matthew Cooke, National Clinical Director for Urgent and Emergency Care and a consultant in emergency medicine, said:

 “We want to make sure that everyone who needs emergency medical assistance gets it.  These changes will make sure that the right support is sent to the right place and reaches patients fast.

 “Fewer ambulances will need to be stood down when they are half way to a patient who doesn’t need them – meaning that they will be available for a patient who does, increasing the chances of survival for anyone who is not breathing or is suffering a cardiac arrest. People whose heart has stopped will get a faster response, meaning they can have life saving treatment like defibrillation on average 40 seconds quicker, increasing their chances of  survival by about 7 percent.

 “But time is still an important factor, which is why we are measuring not only how fast ambulances reach patients, but also their clinical results, which are both what matters to patients and their families.”

 Peter Bradley, Chief Executive of London Ambulance Service and National Ambulance Director, said:

 “At the moment, too many ambulances or rapid response vehicles are sent out when they are not needed. This means that paramedics are sent out on a double dispatch, only to be cancelled when they are too far away to reach another urgent call.

 “Making this small change will mean more ambulances and rapid responders will be ready to go and help patients – rather than be stood down while on their way to somewhere they aren’t needed.”

 Stuart Gardner, who is a paramedic at West Midlands Ambulance Service and Staffside Chair for Unison, Unite and GMB, added:

 “All three unions welcome the change to the clock start. We firmly believe that it will benefit patients by ensuring that those that are in the most need, get an ambulance even more quickly than they do now.  From a staff perspective, it will also mean a reduction in the number of times we are sent on an incident and then get stood down before we arrive. 

 “Whilst we understand the reasons why it happens, it can be very frustrating ending up driving the same piece of road several times in only a few minutes.  These changes will ensure we spend more time treating patients which has to be a good thing.”

 If those taking the call have not got all the information they need in 60 seconds, the clock will start counting down the 8 minute target anyway. People taking the calls will be getting simple and vital additional information like:

• whether the patient is breathing and has a pulse;
• more detail on what has happened to them and their symptoms;

 As Ambulance Trusts have more capacity to reach all their patients quickly, they will also:

• have to improve their performance in 2012/13 to show by April 2013 that they can reach 80 per cent of these most urgent patients within 8 minutes, and
• be required to publish how long it takes them to reach 95 per cent of all their patients from June 2012 to encourage them to bring down the number of people who wait the longest, particularly in rural areas.

Notes to editors

1. For more information, please contact Niken Wresniwiro in the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5282.
2. The Operating Framework for 2012-13 requires all Ambulance Trusts to reach 75 per cent of urgent cases, Category A patients, within 8 minutes.
3. From1 June 2012, Category A cases will be split into Red 1 and Red 2 calls:
• Red 1 calls are patients who are suffering cardiac arrest, are unconscious or who have stopped breathing.
• Red 2 calls are serious cases, but are not ones where up to 60 additional seconds will affect a patient’s outcome, for example diabetic episodes and fits.
4. Ambulance Trusts will be required to improve their performance to show they can reach 80 per cent of Red 1 calls within 8 minutes by April 2013.
5. Evidence from two pilots inLondonand theWest Midlandsshowed that the change resulted in a reduction of at least 24% in cancelled vehicles and there was an improvement in response time performance for Red 1 calls.  
6. New Ambulance Quality Indicators were introduced in April 2011 to measure the quality of care patients received and the results they saw, rather than just the time in which they were treated.  They measure timeliness in a more clinically relevant manner, for example, measuring the time for a qualified healthcare professional to arrive at the scene.
7. As both the NAO and the PAC recognised in 2011, there needs to be more flexibility to the ‘Call Connect’ model, as the current system leads to over-commitment of vehicles and staff which can waste resources and result in other patients not getting the most appropriate care.

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The extra 4,200 health visitors – who provide services for expectant and new parents at home and in local communities after they have had a baby – being recruited by the Government will get enhanced training so they can spot the early signs of postnatal depression.

Health Visitors and midwives will be supported to work together to provide expert joined up care for new parents with a focus on emotional wellbeing. These key healthcare professionals will be able to access new evidence and training so they can identify and support women with postnatal depression.

Where extra help is needed they will be able to refer them to counselling, thanks to the Government’s £400 million investment in psychological and talking therapies.

For the first time, the NHS will be measured against how well it looks after parents who have miscarried or suffered a stillbirth or cot death. Patients will be asked to rate their care so the NHS can improve it. This will form part of the Prime Minister’s friends and family test announced earlier this year.

The Government has also pledged to improve maternity care by:

• Making sure the investment in a record 5,000 midwives currently in training means that women will have one named midwife who will oversee their care during pregnancy and after they have had their baby.
• Making sure that investment also means that every women has one-to-one midwife care during labour and birth.
• Making sure that investment means parents-to-be will get the best choice about where and how they give birth. The Government wants to see more joined up working so women can choose from a full range of services, meaning that choices made are delivered within an integrated, flexible service.

These pledges will be made possible by the wave of investment for health visitors, Midwifery students and psychological therapies and reform of NHS services over the next few years.

Andrew Lansley said:

“No woman should have to cope with postnatal depression without help and support. The changes we are putting in place today will mean that the NHS is providing even more support to women who have this serious condition.

“We have listened to the concerns of women about their experiences of maternity care, which is why we are putting in place a ‘named midwife’ policy to ensure consistency of care.  Not least, we will focus on the quality of care given to mothers–to-be and measure women’s experience of their maternity care for the first time.”

The Government will work in partnership with key stakeholders including the Royal College of Midwives, the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors’ Association, and organisations such as 4Children, Mumsnet and Netmums to support implementation.

Justine Roberts, co-founder of Mumsnet:

“Sadly there are many experiences shared on Mumsnet of women not getting the best care when they need it, whether post-natally in hospital, after a miscarriage or still birth, or when battling post-natal depression. Today’s announcement of renewed focus from the government is a positive step but a sustained effort is needed to ensure Mums benefit from these changes locally.

“Our campaign for Better Miscarriage Care, launched in 2011, called on the government and local NHS trusts to implement a 5-point code of care for families suffering from miscarriage. The announcement that services provided during miscarriage are to be monitored is a real advance towards identifying best and worst practice and therefore towards improving the care received.”

Sally Russell, co-founder of Netmums said:

“We know that postnatal depression is extremely common and yet it is an illness that is very hidden. Most mums and dads find it difficult to admit they are suffering and yet it can be a blight on their lives. Some mums are devastated to feel that they don’t love their child, or find themselves isolated with few friends, falling out with their partner, or unable to go to work. Having better support from local services could make a big difference, and we’re delighted that the Government has identified this as a priority.”

Anne Longfield, Chief Executive of 4Children said:

“4Children welcomes this new support for mothers suffering with postnatal depression.

“Our 2011 report ‘Suffering in Silence’ highlighted the stories of tens of thousands of mothers with depression who felt desperate, overlooked and fearful with terrible and long lasting consequences for them, their children and families. When help was offered it often came in the form of antidepressants despite the fact that counselling was the primary choice of many.

“The policies announced today respond to these concerns making post natal depression a priority for health professionals and ensuring that counselling and talking therapies are available to support.

“This is a good example of Government listening to the needs of families and many families are set to benefit as a result.”

Any woman suffering from postnatal depression or after a stillbirth or miscarriage should contact their midwife, health visitor or GP.

Notes to Editors    

1. For further information, call the Department of Health Press Office on 020 7210 5896 / 5281 / 4990 / 5239.
2. For information and support on stillbirths and infant deaths, contact Sands.
3. For information and support on cot deaths, contact the Foundation for the Study of InfantDeaths.
4. For information and support on postnatal depression, contact MIND.
5. For information and support on miscarriage, contact The Miscarriage Association.

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• Diabetes
• Delayed Discharges
• Access to Midwifery
• Stroke/Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)
• NHS Health Checks

For the quarter ending 31 March 2012

The main findings for Q4 2011/12 were:

Diabetes

• 99.0% of patients with diabetes were offered screening for diabetic retinopathy during the previous 12 months

Delayed Transfers of Care (DToC)

• There were on average 2,423 acute patients with a delayed transfer of care per day.  There were, on average a further 1,724 non-acute patients with a delayed transfer of care per day.

Access to Midwifery

• The number of women who have seen a midwife or a maternity healthcare professional, for health and social care assessment of needs, risks and choices by 12 weeks and 6 days of pregnancy was 162,806 compared to the 188,063 women who were seen by a maternity healthcare professional at any time within this quarter.

• 94.7% of women who gave birth in Q4 2011-12 against those in Q2 2011-12 saw a maternity health professional within the first 12 weeks and 6 days of their maternity.

Stroke – Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA)

• Nationally 81.7% of patients admitted with a stroke spent 90% of their time on a stroke unit.

• For TIA nationally 71.2% of those patients with a higher risk of stroke presenting in an outpatient setting were treated within 24 hours.

NHS Health checks

• The number of NHS Health Checks offered in 2011/12 was 2,202,000, with NHS Health Checks being received by 1,137,000 people

Full data on integrated performance measures return can be found on the DH website.

Notes for editors:
1. This data is collected in support of indicators listed within the NHS Operating Framework

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These statistics show the volume of units of dental activity (UDAs) commissioned by Primary Care Trusts as at the end of each quarter, for the proceeding 12 months.

The figures are broken down into two groups:

• UDAs commissioned where the dental service is being provided;
• UDAs commissioned in contracts not yet delivering services (for example, UDAs in new contracts, where the contract has been signed but the dental activity has not yet started).

Key findings this quarter:

• All 151 Commissioners (PCTs and Care Trusts) returned data.
• 89.8 million UDAs have been commissioned as at 31st March 2012.
• This represents an increase of 358,000 (0.40%) on the UDAs commissioned as at 31th December 2011.

Full dental contracts statistics can be found on the DH website.

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UK health ministers want to see all food manufacturers and retailers use the same system to show – on the front of packs – how much fat, salt and sugar, and how many calories are in their products.

Around 80 per cent of food products sold in the UK already have some form of front-of-pack-labelling. But different retailers and manufacturers use different ways of labelling which can be confusing for consumers.

Some use labels showing Guidelines Daily Amount (% GDA), some use traffic light colour coding that highlights high fat sugar and salt content, and some use both. Research shows that a consistent presentation, combining information, used across all products, would make it easier for consumers to compare the nutritional information provided on the food they buy.

If the biggest seven supermarkets used the same labelling for their own brand foods, it would cover around 50 per cent of the food sold in the UK and encourage others to adopt the scheme.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said:

“Being overweight and having an unhealthy diet can lead to serious illnesses such as cancer and type 2 diabetes. We must do everything we can to help people make healthier choices.

“Offering a single nutrition labelling system makes common sense, it would help us all to make healthier choices and keep track of what we eat.  Making even small changes to our diet can have a major impact on our health. Cutting our average salt intake by 1.6 grams a day would prevent over 10,000 premature deaths a year.

“Initiatives like the Responsibility Deal are already showing what can be achieved if we work in partnership with industry. For example, customers who buy 70 per cent of fast food and takeaways sold on the high street can see from the menu how many calories are in their meals and half the high street has committed to cutting salt in household staples.”

New EU regulations on food labelling were introduced at the end of last year that require manufacturers and retailers to make many changes to their food labels. While providing front of pack information is voluntary under the regulation, every company that does so has to provide information about calories alone, or calories plus the amount of fats, saturated fats, sugars and salt.

The UK has always led the way in providing consumers will more information. Consulting now should help industry to identify a common scheme, which will bring benefits to consumers.

Notes to editors

For further information, please contact the Department of Heath press office on 020 7210 5221.

Copy of the consultation

The new EC Regulation 1169/2011 allows a good degree of flexibility in how Front of Pack nutrition information may be presented.

It must include either

• energy value alone; or
• energy value plus amounts of fat, saturates, sugars and salt

and can be expressed per portion or per 100g, as sold or as consumed ( if adequate cooking instructions are given, and with or with out percentage of the reference nutrient intakes (GDAs).

In addition the nutrients can be presented using a graphical scheme (i.e. using graphical forms or symbols) and/or to be expressed using alternative forms of expression.  For example, in the UK traffic light colour coding systems and “High/Medium/Low” (HML) text are commonly used to present front of pack nutrition information in summary form.

However, if additional forms of expression and/or presentation are used, they must meet all the requirements listed in the Regulations.  They must, for example, be based on sound and scientifically valid consumer research and not mislead the consumer.  They must also be supported by scientifically valid evidence of understanding of such forms of expression or presentation by the average consumer.

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A review into the PiP breast implant scandal has found that, although the regulator acted appropriately and followed scientific and clinical advice, there is room for improvement and serious lessons must be learned.

Health Minister Lord Howe’s report into PiP breast implants has looked at whether theUKregulator – the MHRA – and the Department of Health acted appropriately both before and after information about the problems with these implants came to light.

The report states that the MHRA and the Department of Health must learn lessons so that they can continue to improve their approach to communicating with affected individuals and the general public, particularly around issues that cause such understandable anxiety. They must ensure that full, clear and accurate information is made available promptly in a way that is easily accessible and reflects the concerns that weigh so heavily on the lives of patients who are affected by doubts over the safety of specific medical devices.

The role of the MHRA is to monitor all incidents that are reported to it, make sure that these incidents are investigated fully and that any necessary action is taken. The evidence shows that the regulator did this but that improvements are needed in its communication and data collection and the whole European system and processes for gathering and analysing data where concerns arise.

Lessons need to be learnt by the MHRA, the Department of Health and the wider system so it can uncover problems early, be better placed to take robust action and provide clarity for the public should anything like this happen in the future.

The report has found that the MHRA:

• should review and further develop its communications capability to ensure it can rapidly establish and provide centralised communications regarding device alerts and related issues on an ongoing basis. This should be a proactive capability serving the needs of patients, professionals and the press and public;
• must be able to obtain evidence from a wider and more detailed set of sources, including robust data from clinicians. It needs to be at the forefront of using more sophisticated and rich sources of data to help determine if there are problems with a device; and
• must be able to routinely review the sum total of the information about specific higher-risk devices, so any problems are identified early.

Lord Howe said:

“It must be emphasised that this case was one of deliberate fraud by the PiP manufacturer which purposefully misled European regulators. Regulation alone cannot prevent fraudulent activity such as this.

“But serious lessons must be learned from this scandal. The MHRA needs to look at how it gathers evidence so it is able to identify problems early. It needs to better analyse reports about higher risk medical devices. And it needs to improve the way it communicates with the public.

“It is clear that problems occurred that weren’t reported to the regulator. A vigilance system is only as good as the information that is reported to it. More needs to be done to ensure that problems with medical devices are reported, so problems can be identified and action taken to address them.

“This report won’t repair the distress caused to women who have PiP implants, but it should give them and the public reassurance that we have identified the lessons; that we will take all steps to act on them; and that, should something like this happen again, our systems for dealing with it will be stronger.

“The Government is supporting women affected by this scandal, and providing information based on sound, solid scientific and medical advice. The responsibility for the distress caused toUKwomen, and indeed many thousands of women worldwide, lies squarely with the fraudulent manufacturer which actively covered up its deceit and showed a complete disregard for the welfare of its customers. But we openly acknowledge that we must learn lessons from this in the future so we put all possible protections in place for patients.”

The report also found that the regulators in all EU countries need to work better together to support early detection of problems, share the information they gather and take appropriate action to protect patients. The Government will work to ensure that the ongoing revision of the European regulation of devices ensures the system works robustly and that information sharing across international boundaries is made much easier.

Sir Bruce Keogh – the NHS Medical Director – is currently carrying out a separate review of the wider system of regulation for cosmetic interventions. His review will also look at whether a breast implant registry could be put in place in this country, to help monitor any problems that occur and perhaps make it easier to trace people affected if there is ever a problem in the future.

Women who have PiP implants and who are concerned are advised to:

• Find out if they have a PIP implant.
• Speak to their specialist or GP, if they had them done on the NHS, or clinic if they had them done privately.
• Agree what’s best. Get advice on whether or not they need further assessment, and discuss appropriate action with their doctor.

The NHS will support removal of PIP implants if, following a clinical assessment, a woman with her doctor decides that it is right to do so. The NHS will replace the implants if the original operation was done by the NHS. If a clinic that implanted PiP implants no longer exists or refuses to care for their patient, the NHS will remove the implants but not replace.

Notes to Editors

1. Lord Howe’s terms of reference were to look at:

• what information about PIP implants was available from routine adverse reporting systems;
• what external concerns about PIP implants were brought to the attention of the MHRA or the wider Department of Health, and when;
• how these concerns and any related information were handled;
• what advice was sought and from whom;
• what information was shared between MHRA and its counterparts in other countries in the EU and elsewhere;
• how decisions were taken, and who was involved in this process;
• what action was taken to safeguard and advise patients;
• whether action was sufficiently prompt and appropriate.

2.   The terms of reference for Bruce Keogh’s review can be found at http://mediacentre.dh.gov.uk/2012/01/24/department-of-health-sets-out-scope-of-pip-implant-and-cosmetic-surgery-reviews/

3.    A copy of the report can be found at http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_134044

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The Government has committed to the implementation of liaison and diversion services at all police custody suites and criminal courts, subject to a positive business case approval by 2014 and the Collaborative will work with local schemes to develop the good practice guidance, quality standards, and workforce requirements as well as reviewing and testing different models of commissioning and provision of liaison and diversion services. This will be achieved via a network of liaison and diversion schemes across England.

Minister of State for Care Services, Paul Burstow said:

“I am pleased to announce that the Department will be working closely with the Offender Health Collaborative to shape the provision of effective liaison and diversion services. These services are fundamental to the identification and assessment of offenders with health needs and other vulnerabilities, to give offenders the right health and social care services and to ensure that key decision makers within criminal justice agencies have all relevant heath information to make more informed decisions.

“The wealth of knowledge and expertise that the organisations in the Collaborative bring will help shape the development of a national liaison and diversion service that aims to reduce re-offending and to improve health outcomes.”

Graham Beech, Nacro’s Strategic Development Director said:

“Today’s announcement is a welcome move. The Offender Health Collaborative is excited by this opportunity to work with the Department of Health on this crucial development for offenders with mental health issues, learning difficulties, drug and alcohol problems, and other health and social needs. We look forward to developing the network and enabling early and informed interventions, based on evidence of what works, and what is needed: to promote the well being of people entering the criminal justice system on the one hand, and to reduce their offending on the other”.

Ends

Notes to Editors

1.  Improving Liaison and Diversion services is part of the cross government Health and Criminal Justice Transition Programme.

2. The Offender Health Collaborative have been contracted to support the development of the National Liaison and Development Network for a three year period.

3. More information on the Health and Criminal Justice Liaison and Diversion Development Network can be found on their website.

  4.  The Offender Health Collaborative consists of:

 Nacro

Revolving Doors Agency

Centre for Mental Health

Mental Health Network, NHS Confederation

Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness, Cass Business School

Centre for Health and Justice, Institute for Mental Health at the University of Nottingham

5. For further media enquiries please contact James Hotson in the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5435.

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Latest weekly PIP implant data (covering the period 6th January to 6 May 2012)

This release covers two weekly data collections monitoring the “NHS Offer” for patients who have had PIP implants.

The first collection monitors the extent to which patients who had PIP implants implanted privately have presented to the NHS.

The second collection tracks the care of those women who have previously had PIP implants implanted by the NHS. This collection covers the seven NHS providers which had used PIP implants on NHS patients in the past.

The key points from the latest data are:

Private PIP implants

• A total of 6,632 referrals have now been received, 124 of these were received during the last week (ie week ending 6 May).

• These referrals have been received by 121 trusts.

• 3,865 scans have now been completed and 131 of these were during the last week.

• The number of decisions to explant now stands at 433 and 185 of these have been explanted to date.

• 2,603 women have completed their NHS offer and 99 of these have been this week.

• This collection splits the private patient data into 3 categories (Harley, Transform and Other).  Harley and Transform are separately identified because, according the available information, they have the largest number of patients with PIP implants.  “Other” includes unknown so some of these patients may be identified in later weeks as Harley or Transform patients.

NHS PIP implants

• The latest estimate of the number of women with NHS PIP implants in place on 6th January is 837.

• 836 women have been contacted. 

• 82 scans have been completed.  214 decisions have been made to explant and 66 explants have already taken place.

• 77 women have completed their NHS offer

Full tables are available on the DH website.
 
Notes

The point at which the NHS offer is completed will vary according to the circumstances of each woman. Some women will simply want reassurance, others will decide after clinical advice to have their implants explanted by the NHS.

Feedback welcomed

We welcome feedback on the content and presentation of these statistics within this Statistical Press Notice and those published on the DH website. If anyone has any comments on this, or any other issues regarding the data and statistics, then please email: Unify2@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Additional Information

Press enquiries contact:
Press Office
Department of Health
Telephone: 020 7210 5221

The Government Statistical Service (GSS) statistician responsible for producing these data is:

Clare Hiblin
Knowledge and Intelligence
Department of Health
Room 4E63, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7UE
Email: Unify2@dh.gsi.gov.uk

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The key points from the latest release are:

• During the quarter ending 31 March 2012, 16,719 operations were cancelled at the last minute for non-clinical reasons. In the same period in 2011, there were 15,287 cancelled operations.

• Cancelled operations during the quarter represented 0.9% of all elective activity compared to 1.0% in the corresponding period in 2010.

• Of these cancellations, 1,052 (6.3%) of patients were not treated within 28 days of a cancellation.  In the same period in 2011, 844 (5.5%) of patients were not treated within 28 days.

NB: The 0.9% was calculated using an estimate of elective activity as the full data for the quarter is not yet available.

Full tables are available on the DH website.

Additional Information

Press enquiries contact:
Press Office
Department of Health
Telephone: 020 7210 5221

The Government Statistical Service (GSS) statistician responsible for producing these data is:

Mark Svenson
Knowledge and Intelligence
Department of Health
Room 4E63, Quarry House, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS2 7UE
Email: unify2@dh.gsi.gov.uk

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is mainly caused by smoking. It kills around 23,000 people per year, making it the UK’s fifth biggest killer disease.

The Department of Health today published A Companion Document to the Outcomes Strategy for COPD and Asthma, which if followed across the NHS could save an estimated 7,800 lives annually.

The NHS currently spends £1bn a year treating COPD, but implementing the top five actions for COPD patients alone could lead to savings of nearly £1/2 billion over ten years. It costs nearly ten times more to treat severe COPD than the mild form of the disease, so improved diagnosis rates will save money.

Around 3.2m adults have COPD but an estimated 70% – 2.1m people – go undiagnosed. Giving those people a proper diagnosis and treatment plan is a priority for the NHS.

Health Minister Simon Burns said:

“Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the UK’s hidden killers. Around two million people do not have a proper diagnosis or get proper treatment.

“COPD causes irreversible lung damage and often by the time people are correctly diagnosed it’s too late. The earlier we catch the disease, the better.

“Respiratory diseases are a top priority and we’re encouraging GPs to look for patients who are at risk and make sure they’re properly tested and diagnosed. Better quality care is cheaper care – with proper diagnosis and treatment we can make a big difference in the quality of life for people with COPD and asthma, and save the NHS money at the same time.”

NHS Chief Executive Sir David Nicholson said:

“There are an estimated three million people living with COPD in England, and we want to ensure that best practice is used to improve outcomes for those with COPD and asthma.

“We continue to improve our approach to COPD to one which is proactive and preventative and today’s document will give the NHS additional tools to follow the best practice in diagnosing, treating and managing the condition from its early stages.”

Dame Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation, said:
 
“This new action plan shows that the government is serious about fulfilling the promises made in last year’s COPD and asthma strategy, which we campaigned so long to bring about.
 
“If left untreated, COPD gets worse over time and can leave people so short of breath that even simple tasks, like getting dressed or walking round the house, can be a real struggle. By looking to improve diagnosis and treatment, this new action plan will therefore not just save lives, but could dramatically improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of COPD sufferers nationwide.”
 
A key part of the new strategy is reducing the variation in COPD diagnosis and care around the country. The north of England has much better diagnosis rates than the south, but also the highest death rates from COPD.

Once patients have been diagnosed doctors can keep them better for longer, for example by using ‘pulmonary rehabilitation’, special exercises or physiotherapy which helps strengthen the lungs.

The NHS should also provide the right interventions when COPD is more serious, and people have an ‘attack’ of COPD (known as an exacerbation), which can lead to further lung damage. This can be done through better provision of a form of artificially aided breathing, called non-invasive ventilation, in hospitals.

The new guidance covers both COPD and asthma as the two diseases can be confused due to similar symptoms. Understanding the similarities and differences will help doctors properly treat the two conditions.

ends

Notes to editors

1. COPD is mainly caused by smoking, but also by exposure to dust and other pollutants, as well as family history.

2. The new Outcomes Strategy is a 45-point action plan to tackle COPD and asthma. It is the practical guide to help the NHS put into practice the original COPD strategy, which was developed in 2011.

3. Patients considered at risk from COPD will be given spirometry -  a type of lung test which involves blowing into a tube – as part of their diagnosis.

4. Pulmonary rehabilitation is a special exercise or physiotherapy for COPD to strengthen the lungs of COPD sufferers to help them to breath more easily.

5. Non-invasive ventilation is a form of artificial ventilation for people who are having trouble breathing. A mask is put on the patient’s face and connected to a machine that does the breathing for them. It is different to artificial ventilation, which includes inserting a breathing tube.

6. The UK has the highest prevalence of asthma in the world. Asthma deaths have not dropped from between 1000 and 1200 deaths a year since 2000, yet 90% of deaths are preventable. Almost 40% of asthma deaths occur in under-75s.

7. For more information, regional figures and case studies, please call the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5221.

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