Dec 24 2008: the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement has launched its 2009 Health and Social Care award process for England.  There were no 2008 respiratory care winners and it would be excellent to have some nationally acclaimed and promoted examples.  Please consider applying to one of the 14 categories - via your region.  Closing date midnight 6 March 2009.  Link.

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.

Dec 2008: National clinical consultation on clinical quality indicators until 12 December.  Please contribute to ensure respiratory indicators are appropriate.  Click here  and contact us if you feel there are other things  IMPRESS could do.

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.

Dec 2008: IMPRESS is preparing a response to the DH  on its End of Life Care Strategy quality markers consultation.  

IMPRESS is presenting 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  programme.

IMPRESS is running its own first conference on 28 April 2009 London. Get the date in your diaries and the diaries of colleagues!  The outline programme is available here.  Booking forms available shortly. 

 Living and Dying with COPD is an educational package from IMPRESS consisting of a DVD and CD of PowerPoint slides. Free copies will be available in February. For further information including a short film clip and to order a copy click here.

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.