| News Archive |
Nurse are warmly welcomed to join the BTS, attend conferences and become members. Please see (leaflet) for details. If you would like more information or would like to suggest any topics to be included in the BTS meeting/ short courses programme. please contact samantha.prigmore@stgeorges.nhs.uk |
Nursing Times launches online CPD for nurses More info |
Primary Care Respiratory Society UK Quick Reference Guide to the COPD National Strategy - new resource from the PCRS-UK to support local implementation. The Primary Care Respiratory Society UK is delighted to announce the launch of a Quick Reference Guide to the COPD National Strategy, a web based resource which summarises the key recommendations from the ‘Consultation on a strategy for Services for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in England’ document. This resource aims to be of use to busy clinicians, healthcare managers and commissioners, providing them with a key points summary of sections relevant to primary care in a quick, easy to access format. Find out more by accessing the Quick Reference Guide through the Primary Care Respiratory Society UK website, https://www.pcrs-uk.org/copd_qrg/index.php. |
Open for applications: Closing the Gap 2010 The Health Foundation is currently looking for partnerships to be part of this year’s Closing the Gap - our award scheme dedicated to bridging the gap between current practice and best practice in healthcare. By tackling known gaps between the routine delivery of care and best practice, Closing the Gap aims to support demonstrable improvements, build the knowledge and skills of the workforce, and create approaches to transform the quality of healthcare in the UK. This year we will fund eight awards of up to £400,000 each. Award holding teams will also benefit from a first class tailored learning and development programme. Each year, Closing the Gap has a distinct focus. What is the focus of this year’s award scheme? People need to play an active role in their own care and receive support that is responsive to their needs in order to achieve the best health outcomes and experiences. Within the healthcare system, individuals, teams and services are already making these changes happen. There are many examples of this, including co-producing health, sharing decision making, supporting self-management, opening access to health records, and creating a culture that welcomes and acts on feedback. Yet these examples remain the exception rather than the norm, and the real challenge is implementing these on a large scale. What are we looking for? Interested? * please visit our website<http://dmtrk.co.uk/4Y2-4AZ3-SBFXZ-2DKDG-1/c.aspx> |
E-Learning resources for Arterial Blood Gas Sampling and Analysis and Non-Invasive Ventilation The University of Plymouth and the Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust are offering free use of their two E-learning resources (The link is http://www.rdehospital.nhs.uk/patients/services/e-learning/e-learning.html ) with the following conditions: Contact Details Dr Graham Williamson, gwilliamson@plymouth.ac.uk |
The DOH is Requesting Expressions of Interest to Join the National Pilot Program for Lung Improvement The guidance packs and expression of interest forms for bids to join the national pilot programme are now available to download from www.improvement.nhs.uk/lung The closing date for receipt of completed submissions is 30th April 2010 |
The Nursing in Practice Awards 2010 will reward best practice in a variety of clinical areas, and are designed to recognise excellence and innovation in the primary care setting. Applications are invited from individual nurses or teams of primary healthcare professionals who have undertaken projects to improve the quality of care for groups of patients in the following clinical areas: |
NEW NATIONAL TUBERCULOSIS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TB Alert has launched a new campaign, backed by the Department of Health, to assist nurses in raising awareness of tuberculosis, primarily among at risk groups – including those from BME groups such as the Somali, Bangladeshi and Pakistani communities, as well as individuals with poorer health and immune systems - including those with HIV, homeless people, prisoners/ex-prisoners and older people. More Information |
Fully funded Studentships available on Master of Clinical Research (Mclin Res) programme (starting September 2010)
In March 2009 The University of Manchester School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work
See More |
Consultation meetings on draft COPD National Strategy – places are expected to fill up quickly so book your place NOW! The Department of Health, in partnership with the 10 SHAs in England and NHS Improvement is holding a series of regional events in March and April for healthcare professionals to hear more about the content of the Strategy and to feed back views. Dr Robert Winter and Professor Sue Hill, who are the National Clinical Directors for Respiratory Disease, will be present and each event will have a distinct regional flavour. The meetings have been planned to bring clinical staff from all relevant disciplines and settings, managers, social care providers and commissioners together to hear in more detail the plans for the Strategy and its implementation. There will be the opportunity to hear about pilot projects, to give feedback and to discuss arrangements to implement the Strategy in your area including developing respiratory networks. |
helping you, help patients
The British Lung Foundation (BLF) Helpline was first opened in March 2006. Since then the Helpline has been responding to a growing number of enquiries on a range of issues relating to living with a lung condition. In 2009 the Helpline dealt with around 17000 calls. Most of the calls are from people who are living with a lung condition, and specifically about some aspect of their condition and how it affects their lives. Typically, the Helpline receives around 60 calls a day about respiratory-related problems. The Helpline is staffed by team of specially trained staff, including respiratory nurses (adult and paediatric) welfare benefits advisers and counsellors, backed up by specialist doctors from the BLF as needed. As you’d expect, most of the enquiries are by phone, but also enquiries are made by email and letter. The Helpline team provides advice and support for anyone affected by a lung condition. It could be the patient themselves, their partner and family, mums and dads of children, friends and employers, as well as healthcare professionals. Advice Service Manager, Mark Pilling, explains: “Providing advice over the telephone makes the service accessible to virtually everyone. And it is convenient for people who are confined to their home, either because of their condition or their caring responsibilities.” The majority of people contacting the Helpline want information about their lung condition and how they can help themselves to live with it. However the Helpline can be contacted for general advice on living with a lung condition, for information on things like:
“There are many other issues that we can advise on. We have an extensive library of reference material to help us, including the CAB service information system.”
Helpline Association accreditation. By achieving this quality standard the BLF Helpline has "The support I have received has been nothing short of marvellous and has helped me tremendously" Chris The Helpline team are very pleased to have been awarded the accreditation. “Talking to the people who call us makes my job enjoyable and fulfilling." Tracey Newton - Helpline Specialist Adviser Advice Service Manager, Mark Pilling, adds: “I am really pleased that we have achieved the accreditation as it demonstrates what a good quality service we provide. It also recognises the commitment and hard work of the Helpline staff who work hard to provide the best service they can to people living with a lung condition. Anyone contacting the Helpline can be reassured that we are providing a good quality service for them.” The BLF Helpline is open from 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday, and calls are charged at the caller’s local rate. Outside these hours, or if all the advisers are busy, we use an answer machine. Callers are encouraged to leave a message and their telephone number, and we then call them back.
A Helpline card, with the Helpline’s contact details, is available for health care professionals to pass on to the people they care for. The cards can be ordered, free of charge in batches of 100, through the BLF website – www.lunguk.org – or by contacting Mark Pilling, Advice Service Manager, on 0151 224 7776.
If you would like further information about Helpline and how it can help support the people you care for, contact Mark on the above number. |
A request for examples of good practice from the Joint National Clinical Directors for respiratory disease Having recently been appointed as joint National Clinical Directors for the respiratory programme, Professor Sue Hill and Dr Robert Winter are asking for your assistance. The newly established Lung Improvement Programme (part of NHS Improvement) is developing a web-based show-case of examples of good practice and innovation in the areas of COPD, Home Oxygen and Asthma please see further details in the following links. |
Asthma UK Foundation Grant Asthma UK has just opened its annual foundation grant round for 2010. The deadline is 1pm 12 February 2010. The direct link is as below: http://www.asthma.org.uk/for_researchers/apply_for_funding/asthma_uk_2010_found.html |
ARNS Members Survey 2009 The full analysis and report from the ARNS Members survey conducted this autumn has now been completed by Joe Annandale, ARNS Committee Member and Research & Development Lead. The aim of the survey was to ensure the committee were informed of members’ opinions regarding current key association activities as well as future potential activities. This will help to inform the Committee when considering future ARNS activities and help to meet member’s needs. The report can be view here. |
Nursing Times Hall of Fame |
The General Practice Airways Group will become |
National Clinical Strategy For COPD - eGuidlines Webcast eGuidelines.co.uk is hosting a webcast on the forthcoming National Strategy for COPD. This brief webcast will provide background to the National Strategy and an insight into its aims. Key points to be covered include: * Identifying gaps in current care and highlighting the benefits of improving COPD care to clinicians, the NHS, and patients * The role that primary care should play in the delivery of high-quality COPD care * How the National Strategy will support clinicians and PCOs in the delivery of high-quality COPD care. The format allows you to update yourself on the National Strategy for COPD at a time and place to suit you: you can log on to www.eGuidelines.co.uk/webcasts at any time to view the webcast. A printable certificate will be available at the end of the webcast, which will provide you with evidence of your learning. |
Are you a clinically qualified NHS leader with a proven track record in quality improvement? |
Call for informal poster display |
PRESS RELEASE New Education for Health Bursary: Leading education charity Education for Health today announced details of its new Education for Health Bursary for Masters level education. The new Bursary is available towards the first 2 years of the Charity’s Masters programme in Respiratory Care and is being funded by the Charity from a bursary grant awarded to them from Allen and Hanburys. It provides 50% funding for 5 health professionals to undertake Masters Education for 2 years. This means health professionals can benefit from a much as £2000 sponsorship towards the first 2 years of the Masters Programme. In the first year students are actively encouraged to review their own role in relation to the provision of respiratory services nationally and locally and challenge themselves to achieve more than they thought possible to improve patient care. 48 health professionals are currently enrolled on the Charity’s Masters Programmes which have been steadily accruing a reputation for a high quality, flexible learning experience with direct relevance to the students’ own workplace setting. To view the full Press Release please visit our website: http://www.educationforhealth.org.uk/pages/about_us/press_releases_news.asp#Msc For enquiries, in the first instance, please contact: Sarah Wilson - Communications Assistant |
The British Lung Foundation (BLF) is campaigning to end the additional charges and restrictions that are placed on people travelling with oxygen by ensuring that all airlines offer the same level of service. The campaign will call on airlines to provide free oxygen, to allow passengers to bring their own cylinder or concentrator onboard and to ensure that each airline makes their policies on these issues absolutely clear. You can click here to find out more about this campaign and to email your local MP and tell them that you back this campaign and to ask them to sign a motion in the House of Commons to demonstrate their support |
| For this years ARNS Conference (9-10th October) we are calling for abstract for poster presentations. Examples could be service developments, research studies, audits or anything that you feel would be of interest to other ARNS members. Abstract applications to be submitted by 14th August 2009 |
You may be interested in a buyers' guide to spirometers just published by NHS PASA's Centre for Evidence-based Purchasing (CEP). The guide is referenced in the DH Good Practice Guide to Transforming Respiratory and Sleep Diagnostics Services and will support delivery of the DH clinical strategy on COPD when published. The Centre for Evidence-based Purchasing (CEP) generates, gathers and assesses evidence on medical products and related services to encourage informed decision-making around the purchase and choice of products used in the NHS. They are funded by the Dept of Health. You can sign up for notification of publications, suggest new projects and view their work programme at www.pasa.nhs.uk/cep |
National COPD Audit – five emerging reports:
For further information about the National COPD Audit 2008 click here ( http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/copd ) ARNS intends to provide a collective Respiratory Nursing comment and feedback on the reports, together with views and suggestions for what additional measures Respiratory Nurses would find helpful to audit in the next round. Please send your responses to Angela Hurlstone, ARNS Secretariat by email: Angela.Hurlstone@brit-thoracic.org.uk |
National Primary Care Respiratory Conference of the GPIAG For more information, please contact the GPIAG conference organisers on telephone: 0121 351 4455, or visit the website: www.gpiag.org. |
| The BTS guideline "Emergency Oxygen Use in Adult Patients" has been published in the October 2008 issue of Thorax and is available by clicking HERE |
 COPD
Self Management Plan Helping patients to manage their chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease Samantha Winter
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ARTP Papers The ARTP have produced from a series of workshops and consultations a set of position papers with the hope of both informing and setting standards on various topics. The finished papers are available on the public area of their website www.artp.org.uk under downloads - ARTP standards. |
| Asthma UK FAQ - Translated to Sign Language |
| Asthma UK’s Frequently Asked Questions have been translated into British Sign Language. People whose first language is BSL can now access key information on asthma via video clips on their website: http://www.asthma.org.uk/all_about_asthma/faqs/index.html A free DVD of the clips, with subtitles, is also available from our Supporter & Information Team (08456 03 81 43 or info@asthma.org.uk) The translated FAQs acknowledge a need for signed health information for deaf people with asthma. |
