18 June - IMPRESS conference webcasts now available here.
18 June - two new documents from the NHS recommended by IMPRESS: Junior Doctor Guide to the NHS and Public and Patient Engagement.
9 June 2009 Acorn Awards. Please consider applying for the NHS Alliance Acorn Awards to demonstrate how respiratory care can be improved. For more details click here.
6 June 2009 The 2009 IMPRESS Award – Displaying Innovation in Integrated Primary and Secondary Respiratory Care. Applications are invited from teams and units rather than individuals. Further details can be found here
March 2009
Service Specification for Investigation and treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome
OSAS is a very common condition with a major impact on health and society, but its importance has been recognised belatedly and services for the investigation and treatment of affected individuals in the UK have developed slowly and patchily. This document explains the nature of the condition, its impact on health and social functioning, the principles and details of investigation and treatment and the requirements for long term support and management.
Living and Dying with COPD is an educational package from IMPRESS consisting of a DVD and CD of PowerPoint slides. Free copies are available now and have been sent out to those people who registered an interest. For further information including a short film clip and to order a copy click here. February 2009: We have also submitted a response to the end of life care quality markers consultation. For a detailed explanation of the particular challenges of providing high quality end of life care for people with COPD click here. June 2009: we have now issued over 3400 copies of the package, and it has been extremely well received. We are now working with a local clinical network led by NHS Bristol to understand how to embed it in practice.
Dec 11 2008: NHS England Operating Framework published including details of PCT allocations, priorities for the next two years 2009/2011, the Vital Signs framework, the framework for CQUINs (see Jargon Buster for new terms) and the standard NHS contracts for acute, ambulance and community services.
4 December 2008: an 18-week breathlessness pathway (for obstructive lung disease) has been launched. Click here. This will provide opportunities for commissioners and clinicians to work together as part of a well-established pathway programme. IMPRESS will discuss what it might need to do to support its implementation.
IMPRESS presented a session at the NHS Confederation's PCT Network Conference World Class Commissioning, World Class Health on 22 January 2009 at the Building Design Centre, London. Click here for presentations.
National COPD Audit 2008. The findings were released on 19 November 2008. The participation rate in acute trusts was an incredible 98%. Data were collected about general aspects of COPD care and specific Quality Indicators for COPD services, namely: non-invasive ventilation (NIV), pulmonary rehabilitation (PR), early discharge schemes (EDS) and oxygen services. Also, information about palliative care services for people with COPD was collected. Click here for the summary report and here for more information.