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Contact usChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Winter Pressures – Lambeth and Southwark Pilot
The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Winter pressures project aims to:
- Identify and review COPD patients with increased risk of exacerbation and/or emergency hospital attendance over winter
- Take steps to reduce patients' risk of exacerbation and/or emergency hospital attendance over winter
- Help patients manage their condition more effectively
Project overview
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of emergency hospital admission in the UK every winter. It is also one of the five clinical priority areas for addressing healthcare inequalities in the NHS, identified in the Core20PLUS5 framework.
A joint project team from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital and King's College Hospital were successful in bidding for NHSE funding to trial a new approach to chronic respiratory disease management. We are one of four national pilot sites, with other pilots led by: Hull University Teaching Hospital Trust; Southampton Integrated COPD Team; and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.
The approach aims to identify COPD patients who live in Lambeth and Southwark, and who are at an increase of exacerbation over the winter, to proactively invite them to attend an OPTIMISE review at either of the two Trusts. These OPTIMISE reviews focus on preventing deterioration, managing medicines, and supporting patients with self-management and wellbeing.
Respiratory conditions like COPD can disproportionately affect those living in areas of deprivation. In order to reduce these health inequalities, part of the search criteria is finding patients who live in more deprived areas. We are also partnering with Green Doctors London to offer energy conservation advice and guidance for patients at risk of fuel poverty.
The Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London are providing project management for the pilot, and in addition to feeding into a national evaluation (led by HIN South West) we will be writing an in house project evaluation. This project has involved the support and guidance of a range of healthcare and operational professionals working throughout the London Respiratory Clinical Network and wider system.
