| News |
Asthma UK Travel Awards 2010 for Attending the European Respiratory Conference (ERS)
Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.4 million people in the UK with asthma. Asthma UK is a major funder of asthma research in the UK, spending nearly £50 million to date. Asthma UK is pleased to announce the 2010 Asthma UK Travel Awards supporting healthcare professionals to attend the world’s largest conference in respiratory medicine – the European Respiratory Society’s 2010 Annual Congress taking place in Barcelona, Spain from 18 to 22 September. These awards are funded by MSD*. Asthma UK is inviting applications from UK based clinical and allied healthcare professionals, postgraduate trainees and basic researchers with an interest in clinical respiratory medicine, asthma and related allergy to apply for one of 19 ‘Travel Awards’. The ERS Annual Congress combines clinical education in the diagnosis, management and treatment of respiratory conditions including asthma and updates on the latest respiratory research developments. Each award covers ERS Annual Congress registration fees plus direct costs associated with travelling to and from the Congress, accommodation, and subsistence up to a maximum value of £800 GBP. Asthma UK and MSD acknowledge how difficult it can be for healthcare professionals to take time out of clinical practice to further their skills and knowledge of the most current issues on asthma management and research. Clinical conferences are an excellent training and career development opportunity, and we understand it may be particularly difficult to do attend at this time when funding support is so limited. These awards aim to encourage talented individuals, who may also be new to the field, to share and gain knowledge and expertise. In the long-term the awards aim to build capacity in asthma and respiratory medicine management amongst UK healthcare professionals. Closing date for applications: Further details, including the application form and award criteria, can be found at: For enquiries please contact: © Asthma UK 2010 Registered charity in England 802364 and in Scotland SCO39322. |
The Dept of Health publishes National Strategy for COPD consultation document The Department of Health (DH) has published the consultation document for the National Strategy for COPD, (for England) which is a draft version of the National Strategy. They want to hear the views of anyone who works with people with COPD, as well as people with COPD and their carers. This feedback is an important part of the overall consultation process, which also includes the SHA regional events that occurring in March/April. This is effectively the very final stage of a long and extensive process that has involved much stakeholder engagement, so the consultation will run for only 6 weeks. ARNS is planning to submit a response to this consultation, so that the voice of Respiratory Nurse Specialists is collectively represented and recognised. We really want to hear your views whatever they may be either brief or extensive. Please send these to info@arns.co.uk with “National Strategy for COPD Consultation Feedback” in the title before 26th March The Consultation document can be viewed here |
Nursing in Practice Awards 2009 - Recognising Excellence and Innovation... Do you know a primary or community care nurse or team Timeline for Respiratory care award: 20 July 2009 |
Asthma UK is inviting applications for the new Asthma UK Travel Awards, which aims to support 19 healthcare professionals to attend the world’s largest conference in respiratory medicine – the European Respiratory Society’s 2009 Annual Congress at Vienna, Austria from 12 to 16 September. Applicants must be UK based clinical and allied healthcare professionals, postgraduate trainees and basic researchers with an interest in clinical respiratory medicine, asthma and related allergy. Each award covers registration fees, travel and accommodation up to £800, and is sponsored by Merck Sharp & Dohme Limited* (MSD UK). Closing date for applications: Friday 3 April 2009, 1pm. Further details, including the application form and award criteria, can be found at: For enquiries please contact: |
End of Life care in Respiratory Disease The first BTS/ARNS ‘End of Life Care in Respiratory Disease’ course was run at the University Hospital of South Manchester. It was organised and run by Dr. Anita Simmonds (respiratory consultant at the Brompton Hospital London, Jenny Till (respiratory nurse specialist from Cumbria PCT), Michael Connolly (palliative care nurse consultant) and Annette Duck (respiratory nurse specialist) , both from the University Hospital of South Manchester. The course was limited to 25 delegates who travelled to Manchester from all over the country and was split into 3 days, 2 months apart in order to give delegates time to incorporate learning into clinical practice. Communication models of care developed within the UHSM Trust by Mike Connolly including SAGE & THYME™, and a model for dealing with ‘Conflict within the MDT’, were taught to delegates during the course. The course also involved the ‘SPIKES’ model for giving significant information. Professor Ashley Woodcock was on hand to help the team role play in the session entitled ‘Conflict within the MDT’, which he did admirably. The course uses real-life case scenarios for discussion of the clinical and personal dilemmas towards the end of life in respiratory disease. The teaching team have since been invited to run the course in Belfast for the benefit of the whole respiratory group at Belfast City Hospital. |
| Your opportunity to attend the
ATS/ERS as part of a Mentorship Programme
We are delighted to announce that the GPIAG will be running its highly successful mentorship programme again in 2009. The programme offers a structured support package for successful candidates to attend either the American Thoracic Society International Congress on 15th – 20th May 2009 in San Diego or the European Respiratory Society Congress on 12th – 16th September 2009 in Vienna. Successful candidates will be offered mentorship throughout the conference and support after the conference to help develop their leadership skills and disseminate learning at a local level. Says Erica Haines of Education for Health who attended the 2008 programme, “The course enabled me to access the latest evidence, network with and receive mentorship from many eminent health care professionals from the respiratory world, and as a result, set up an enhanced community pulmonary rehabilitation service, to include maintenance groups and a home-visiting service. As a direct consequence of attending the course, I am now Clinical Lead for Asthma and Long-term conditions with Education for Health.” We are now looking for up to 12 healthcare professionals (general practitioners, practice nurses/ respiratory specialist nurses/ pharmacists /physiotherapists) who wish to enhance their respiratory knowledge and develop their leadership roles in primary care and be part of our the GPIAG respiratory leaders programme. Candidates will be selected based on the following criteria: Candidates should be a practising clinician working in primary care or across the primary /secondary care interface and must a full member of the GPIAG and/or ARNS Candidates must have a demonstrable record of interest in respiratory
medicine such as attendance at least one national respiratory meeting
(eg GPIAG, ARNS or BTS) ,diploma or other further education certificate
in a respiratory related discipline. Note: preference will be given
to those candidates who do not have regular experience of attending
major international respiratory conferences. Successful candidates for ATS places will be notified by the end of February 2009 For more information click here to download the programme brochure To download the application form click here |
Update on Sleep apnoea June 2008 |
| NICE is recruiting new members
to independent advisory committees on the use of health technologies
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is recruiting new members to join its three independent advisory Appraisal Committees. The Appraisal Committees consider and interpret evidence on the clinical and cost effectiveness of health technologies and formulates recommendations on their use. Members of all Committees are drawn from the NHS, healthcare professionals, patients and carers, and the academic world. Committee members are not appointed to act as representatives of a particular organisation. They will be expected to apply the experience and judgement from their individual backgrounds to the topics considered by the Committee and in doing so actively contribute to improving the quality and consistency of care provided by the NHS. They will be helping the Institute take some of the most difficult decisions in public life. We currently have vacancies for: § Consultant Physician § Clinical Pharmacologist § Health Economist § NHS Management § Consultant Surgeon § Psychiatrist § Professions Allied to Medicine § Nurse Time commitment and conditions: Committee members attend eleven
day-long committee meetings per year as well as an annual Away day.
To access the information and application pack click HERE For further queries please contact Kim Turner, Project Manager at kim.turner@nice.org.uk or 020 7045 2238. Completed applications should be returned by Wednesday 8 October
Kim Turner Project Manager Centre for Health Technology Evaluation NICE Mid-City Place 71 High Holborn London WC1V 6NA |
First announcement of important new sponsorship opportunities for courses at Education for Health Recent significant developments in education funding arrangements between Education for Health and Astra Zeneca mean that significant sponsorship of between 85 and 100% is available for nurses wanting to undertake respiratory training this summer. Places will be allocated on a first come – first served basis. Courses available are listed in the table and dates of all courses can be downloaded from the newly updated Course Calendar at www.educationforhealth.org.uk/pages/_documents/course_prog_jan08.pdf . To reserve your place call Laura Edwards on 01926 836832 or l.edwards@educationforhealth.org.uk |
| Trevor Clay Memorial Grants Grants are available for practical research, the results of which should be immediately applicable and beneficial to people with a lung disease. Applications are particularly welcome from all healthcare professionals for any sum up to £15,000 and may include costs for start-up projects and professional development including funding for MSc and PhDs. There is currently one grant round a year and applicants are requested to complete a detailed application form which is evaluated by the Scientific Committee and external reviewers. Closing date for applications: 4 July 2008. Application forms available from www.lunguk.org |
Undertrained primary care
nurses “uncomfortable” treating allergy |
NHS Choices Expert Blogs – Asthma Blog NHS Choices is developing a project to get people blogging about
their experiences of asthma on the NHS Choices website. We are therefore
seeking healthcare professionals working and treating asthma, and
patients who are living with this condition, who are willing to
contribute to the blog. Contributions could be on anything - from
pioneering research, experiences concerning asthma triggers, life
stories in the news - in fact anything.
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An Early Day Motion has been tabled in the House of Commons by Fabian Hamilton requesting the Government to recognise the need for more funding, research and specialist nurses in ILD. By following the link below http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=35440&SESSION=891 We now need nurses, doctors and patients to lobby their MP’s to sign up to this. By going to the link below and following simple instructions you
can find out who your MP is and email him a request to sign up to
the EDM. Thank-you for supporting patients with Interstitial Lung Disease |
Big Breaths Challenge The British Lung Foundation needs you to take part in the Big Breaths
Challenge - an exhilarating 10,000 feet freefall parachute jump
on Sunday 22nd June at Brackley Airfield (Oxford). |
Mucolytic Opinion Sheet The GPIAG have recently published their latest Opinion Sheet that
is an up to date review of Mucolytics. |
ILD Nurse Meeting
The first national Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)
specialist nurse meeting took place in October at South Manchester
University Hospital. The meeting was organised by Annette Duck who
is the Interstitial Lung Disease Specialist nurse at the tertiary
referral centre in the North West Lung Centre, Manchester. Following
a call for all ILD specialist nurses to get in contact on the Association
of Respiratory Nurse Specialist (ARNS) website, only 5 other nurses
responded to specialising in ILD. These included Pauline McFarlane
from the New Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Ross Ellis from the Royal
Brompton and Harefield Trust, London, Kerry Mills from County Hospital,
Hereford and Geraldine Bale from the Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham.
They are pictured here with Nurse Consultant - Mr. Mike Connolly
– Palliative Care Specialist and Dr Lisa Spencer – SpR
Respiratory Medicine/Research Fellow with Sub Speciality Training
in ILD. Julie Morgan who works in Nottingham unfortunately
could not attend. |
New survey finds many practice nurses are assuming clinical roles for which they have not been properly trained. As many as 4,498 nurses working with patients with respiratory disease may not be providing appropriate care or treatment for their patients with asthma or COPD 638,000 people with long term respiratory health conditions could be receiving their diagnosis, treatment and on-going care from practice nurses who have not been adequately trained for that role according to the findings of a national survey conducted by the Charity Education for Health published 1 October 2007. (full press release) For a summary of the survey click here or for detailed results click here. |
A Nurses’ Guide to the Insertion and Removal of Chest Tubes and Management of Chest Drain in Adults Kevin Clark, Clinical Nurse Consultant in Brisbane, Australia and regular visitor to the ARNS Website has kindly alerted us to a project that he has been involved in to develop a specific training and development package with audit tools for the Insertion and Management of Chest Drain in Adults. We have posted this on the Tools section of our website and you can also contact Kevin for further details or (as he has requested), to give him some feedback from a UK perspective. |
Nursing Times Allergy Articles The Nursing Times has produced a series of articles in association with ARNS that may interest you, one on Allergy and the Respiratory System that provides essential information about allergies affecting the respiratory tract and can be accessed here: http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursingtimes/pages/allergysectionlanding and the other on smoking cessation that provides up-to-date information and resources to assist you in educating, guiding and encouraging your patients who want to stop smoking. This can be accessed here: http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursingtimes/pages/smokingcessation |
Cough into Context Report The Cough into Context report is an educational tool for healthcare professionals designed to provide guidance on the management of productive cough both in stable COPD and in exacerbations." |
BTS Smoking Cessation PowerPoint Slides The BTS Tobacco Committee have produced a set of PowerPoint slides for use in educating all healthcare professionals about why and how to discuss with patients the benefits of giving up smoking. This tool comes with speaker notes so that even those with little knowledge can use the slides effectively and there are a large and varied selection of slides so that they can be used as required for different situations. |
BTS
Consortium on Sleep Apnoea CD ROM "Toolkit" now available |
Oxygen Services poster presented at the BTS This poster may be of interest to those working in English or Welsh Health Organisations where all patients using oxygen have not already been reviewed to see whether their use of oxygen is appropriate. Considerable savings have been made in Blaenau Gwent where a Respiratory Nurse Specialist initially reviewed all patients that were not already known to secondary care; out of the 239 patients on oxygen that were assessed, 117 patients had their oxygen discontinued as it was found to be inappropriate. It was calculated that if these patients had remained on oxygen for another year, it would have cost the PCT £63116.55. It is clearly not economic for PCTs to ignore oxygen service provision and so some respiratory nurses may find this information useful to share with commissioners for the planning of oxygen assessment and review services within their area. " |
On 13 November 2006, The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) announced the release of a new Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention: Main document: "Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention" Primary Care summary, 3 pages: "The major changes in the GINA report: Implications for primary care" |
Two new Commissioning Guides produced by NICE for Pulmonary Rehabilitation and COPD Early Discharge The National Institute for Clinical Excellence, (NICE) has recently published two new commissioning guides; one for the development of a pulmonary rehabilitation service for patients with COPD and one for an Assisted-discharge service for patients with COPD. Although they are quite general, feedback so far has been very positive. They aim to:
Both guides are a useful resource for clinical leads
in primary care trusts (PCTs) and practice-based commissioners (PBCs);
commissioning staff in PCTs and PBCs; cluster/locality managers
in PBCs; business managers; finance and information staff.
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Bristol COPD Knowledge Questionnaire, (BCKQ) A new tool to assess COPD patients knowledge of their condition has been developed by Dr Roger White and colleagues in Bristol. They are happy to share it with you and have given permission for you to download it from the ARNS site. Find out more here. |
ARNS Discussion Forum and the Professional Development section of the website If you have useful Protocols, Care Pathways, Assessment Tools, Self Management Plans, or other Guidelines that you would be willing to share, these can be put on the Professional Development part of the website, please contact Jenny Till. |
Respiratory Palliative Care Guidelines Are you trying to develop respiratory palliative care in your area? You may be interested to know that a multi disciplinary working group of respiratory and palliative care health professionals from the Mersey and Cheshire area have recently published local guidelines for their area that they are happy to share with others. Click here for further information. |
NSF for COPD
Photo taken at the official launch of the British Thoracic Society, BTS 2006 edition of “The Burden of Lung Disease” at the House of Commons on 28th June this year. Concerned nurses take the opportunity to discuss some of the challenges currently facing Respiratory Nurse Specialists with Rosie Winterton, MP, after she announced that there will be an NSF for COPD. Left-Right: Liz Walker, (ARNS); Sam Prigmore, (ARNS); Rosie Winterton, MP; Jane Scullion, (RCN Respiratory forum); Monica Fletcher, (Chief Executive Education for Health). The announcement by the DOH that there will be a National Service Framework, (NSF) for COPD in England was welcomed by ARNS. This has come about after years of work to raise awareness of the true burden of respiratory disease and direct lobbying of the government by members of the Respiratory Alliance* and other healthcare professionals from organizations such as ARNS and the RCN Respiratory Forum. The British Lung Foundation, BLF has recently published a new COPD patient survey that showed COPD is still not being diagnosed, treated or managed well despite the millions of people who have the disease and the huge burden placed on the NHS. Responding to the announcement of the NSF for COPD, Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive of the BLF said: "This is welcome recognition by the Government of the many millions of people with lung disease. COPD has to be a priority for the NHS if we are to address the shocking statistics of the disease and improve standards of diagnosis and care. We hope that this is the first chapter of a new NSF to be followed by others in asthma, obstructive sleep apnoea and interstitial lung disease." ARNS also welcomes the Healthcare Commission's report, 'Clearing the Air' http://www.healthcarecommission.org.uk/_db/_documents/COPD_report.pdf. This states that “The Department of Health should develop a national service framework (NSF) for COPD. This would encourage greater focus on this previously neglected condition. It would also provide an opportunity to embed in healthcare services more meaningful indicators for measuring the outcome of care and treatment for people with COPD….. A complete set of indicators will be developed in consultation with key stakeholders and monitored over time” We plan to join with other key stakeholders to do all we can to ensure that the process of drawing together a respiratory NSF firstly for COPD is a successful and positive process and to work towards lobbying for the creation of further “chapters” for other respiratory disease areas such as asthma, respiratory allergies, occupational lung disease, obstructive sleep apnoea and interstitial lung disease. *Respiratory Education UK, Education for Health, National Asthma Campaign, (NAC) General Practice Airways Group, (GPIAG) British Thoracic Society, (BTS) British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, (BSACI) British Paediatric Respiratory Society, (BPRS) British Lung Foundation, (BLF) |
The National COPD Audit An important project which will allow you to benchmark
practice ahead of the requirements of the National Service Framework
for COPD Check out this link for more information |
Asthma UK's Challenge Fund for Community Projects Each year, Asthma UK supports community projects through the Challenge Fund, which gives grants to groups or individuals for initiatives that will identify, develop and promote good practice to improve life for people with asthma. Applications for the next round of funding will open in early September, find out more at http://www.asthma.org.uk/how_we_help/community_projects/index.html. |
BTS/ARNS Palliative Care Course The new BTS short courses brochure has just been published. There are just 25 places for the new BTS/ARNS Palliative Care Course to be held in Manchester in 2008. This is a long awaited multi-disciplinary course and it is anticipated that places will fill up quickly, so register your interest now. More details here. |
ARNS 10th Anniversary Conference 16th-17th November 2007 |
Applications are invited for
a 3 year postgraduate studentship leading to PhD degree, beginning
October 2007 |
Advance Warning - Job Vacancy University of South Manchester Foundation Trust University of South Manchester Foundation
Trust is soon to advertise a job share post for a Band 7 oxygen
nurse and pulmonary physiologist to set-up and manage their oxygen
assessment service. |
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Rosie Winterton MP meets with Respiratory Nurses and Respiratory Educators at Education for Health, in Warwick On 17/10/06 the Minister of State for Health Services, Rosie Winterton MP met with a group of lead Respiratory Nurses representing Paediatric, Adult, Primary and Secondary Care along with Respiratory Module Leaders and Chief Executive of Education for Health, Monica Fletcher. Liz Walker, Chair of ARNS gave a presentation about some of the concerns that RNS's currently have regarding threats to their roles and access to adequate training and continuing education. There were also discussions about some examples of excellent practice and innovative developments. Click to see photos taken at the meeting and letter sent to Rosie Winterton, MP |
Katrina Chambers, Project Officer; Open University Centre for Education in Medicine is requesting help to complete a research study before 12th January 2007 The Open University Centre for Education in Medicine is conducting a research project that has been commissioned by the GMC. They need nursing staff that have had contact with Medical Foundation Trainees within their work (F1/F2s). The telephone interview should last no longer than 15 minutes and they would like to complete all interviews by 12th January 2007. For detailed information regarding the particulars of the project please contact Katrina Chambers (Project Oficer) 01908 858147 k.l.chambers@open.ac.uk read the attached Word document. |
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Respiratory Competencies
- Now we need your help! We will continue to keep you informed of the progress on this important piece of work. |
UK Respiratory Research Strategy Committee Building on the successful workshops in October 2005 at the Royal College of Physicians, and in February 2006 at Asthma UK, a meeting of the UK Respiratory Research Strategy Committee met on 14th July 2006 at BTS Head Office. Under the Chairmanship of Professor Stephen Holgate, representatives from professional, charitable and educational respiratory organizations came together to discuss how best to take forward the research agenda, building on the superb work carried out by the prioritization exercise undertaken during the workshop process. The date for the next meeting is 25th October For more information, read the newsletter. |
Are you a COPD nurse for a PCT? We need your help - please click here. |
New Breathe Easy Group formed in Gloucestershire First meeting October 12th at Hardwicke Village Hall (Quedgeley, Gloucestershire) 2-4pm Meeting monthly 2nd Thursday in the Month Contact: Rose 01452 720744 Tony 01452 720487 |
| June 12 –13
2006, Leicester, England POSTGRADUATE COURSE IN PULMONARY REHABILITATION THEORY The Institute for Lung Health has joined forces with the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Department at Glenfield Hospital and is hosting a Postgraduate Course in Pulmonary Rehabilitation from 12 – 13 June 2006 at the Clinical Education Centre, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester. Course Details CLICK HERE FOR PROGRAMME The course is set over two days and aims to deliver the theory and practice of pulmonary rehabilitation and its place in clinical management and research. It will comprise a series of lectures, demonstrations and practical sessions and is aimed at consultant chest physicians, SpRs, nurses, physiotherapists and other health professionals involved in setting up and delivering pulmonary rehabilitation. For further information please contact Xanthe Whitfield-Grace MA ILH Co-ordinator Institute for Lung Health pision of Respiratory Medicine Glenfield Hospital Leicester, LE3 9QP 0116 2502581 01664 464143 xlw1@le.ac.uk |
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The FoNS Awards 2006 The FoNS Awards 2006 were announced at the beginning
of May 2006. |
Committee News January 2006 We have welcomed back onto the committee for another 3 years, Carol Beckwith, previously membership secretary. With her particular specialism, Carol wishes to continue to represent ARNS on the BTS Consortium on Sleep Apnoea. We also welcome 3 new faces onto the committee: Debbie Campbell who has over 20 years experience in respiratory nursing. She specialises and participates in the research of difficult to control asthma; Jill Goddard with a wealth of experience in developing respiratory services who now works as a lecturer-practitioner in Primary Care and continues to spearhead service re-design; and Vikki Knowles also with great experience of respiratory nursing and an educational role with the NRTC, who has also recently moved into Primary Care with a particular interest in palliative care. |
CMO Annual Report 2005 The Chief Medical Officer's Annual Report for 2004, published on 20/7/05 has a very comprehensive section on COPD, highlighting the shift of emphasis that the DOH has put on this condition. He has recommended a National Service Framework for COPD that is really good news and ARNS has been invited along with other interested parties to work closely on this. For further information Click Here |
New Look Website for ARNS 11/1/03 The old web site was a huge improvement but still needed a professional look. It was decided by the committee members that the existing site needed to be improved. David Long took over the management of the site and design. He has tried to make the site a lot simpler to use and remove some of the clutter. He has also kept a new more powerful discussion area for members and non members. If you can think of any issues or items that would make this site more useful, please contact David Long. |
| James Lind Alliance
Asthma Working Partnership - can you help? We are looking for health professionals who look after patients with asthma to help us establish a set of important clinical questions about treatment or the effects of treatment for asthma, which can be answered by research evidence and prioritised by patients and clinicians. For more information click here. |
Placebo inhalers and cleaning 2003 Various bodies have highlighted concerns regarding infection control and the cleaning of placebo inhalers. The chairperson of ARNS Karen Clancy highlighted the problem and has been in discussion with various bodies on behalf of ARNS for some time. As a consequence Dr Paul Mc Carthy (GSK UK) became involved and has taken this issue further and is involved in high level, multi-bodied, national discussions trying to deal with this issue. Click here to find out about the issues raised and solutions to this problem as put forward by Dr Mc Carthy at a recent ARNS commitee meeting. |
Nursing Times Awards 2003 Deirdre Denn and Jill Waldron and
were taken to the NT award evening in October when they both received
a research award of £2000 for their work looking at the benefit
of involving carers in pulmonary rehab programmes. |
