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Department of Health launches consultation on a strategy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

News Release issued by the COI News Distribution Service on 23 February 2010

Patients, staff and stakeholders are being invited to share their views on a strategy to tackle the growing problem of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in England published by the Department of Health today.

COPD is thought to affect over three million people in England, but less than a million of these have been diagnosed. One of the main aims of the strategy will be to support the local NHS in identifying those who are not aware they have the condition and helping them to receive an early and accurate diagnosis and treatment to limit further damage. The strategy also looks at care for people with asthma as it is often confused with COPD and there are similarities in treatment for the two conditions.

The strategy which is being consulted on widely has been developed with key patient groups including the British Lung Foundation and Asthma UK, as well as people working in health and social care, people with COPD and asthma and their carers.

The Department has already identified personalised care plans as important for helping all people with long-term conditions including those with COPD and asthma to understand and manage their condition. The strategy sets out a number of clear recommendations to improve outcomes for patients and help to reduce the cost of COPD to the NHS including:

· Identifying the disease earlier

· Improving diagnosis of COPD and asthma

· Helping people to manage their condition better through structured education and exercise

· Reducing admissions and re-admissions to hospital

· Improving access to end of life care

· Working to prevent COPD

Health Secretary Andy Burnham said:

"COPD is notoriously hard to spot in its early stages, and yet the sooner it is diagnosed the more we can do for people with the condition.

"This strategy will focus minds across the NHS on better diagnosis and earlier treatment. There are more than three million people with COPD in this country, yet less than a million have been diagnosed, so we need to raise awareness and improve knowledge of the symptoms as a matter of urgency."

Dame Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation said:

"We warmly welcome the launch of the consultation for the strategy for COPD. The British Lung Foundation has campaigned for this for a number of years as we believe that, when implemented the strategy will make a real difference to the lives of over 3 million people in England, who are affected by COPD. Our aim is to work alongside the strategy to ensure that more people are diagnosed with the condition at an earlier stage and given the treatment and care they so desperately need."

Neil Churchill, Chief Executive of Asthma UK said:

“We welcome publication of the strategy and are delighted that asthma is included. We believe there are real opportunities to improve the way both COPD and asthma are managed in England, to the benefit of patients, their carers and to the taxpayer. Asthma is a major cause of hospital admissions. We estimate that the NHS could save around £200 million a year and provide better care through greater education, self-care and targeted interventions.”

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Notes to Editors

For media enquiries only please contact the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5221The consultation on will run until 5 April 2010. The document can be found at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Consultations/LiveconsultationsThe Department of Health recently appointed Professor Sue Hill and Dr Robert Winter as joint National Clinical Directors for Respiratory Disease. They have led the development of the COPD strategy to date. The joint National Clinical Directors will use the consultation responses to help shape the final document which, when published later this year, will help to transform services for people with COPD and asthma.COPD currently costs the NHS around £800m every year and is responsible for 24 million lost working days. It is a condition that progressively damages the lungs making it increasingly difficult to breathe. Whilst this cannot be reversed, early diagnosis and effective treatment can slow its progress. Asthma is more common than COPD but symptoms are generally milder, and with the right treatment the vast majority of people with asthma can lead normal lives.

Contacts:

Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk