Workforce and skillmix
IMPRESS has published key standards and competencies for respiratory care for commissioners, highlighting what needs to be considered and specified in any respiratory service.
IMPRESS endorses a discussion paper on the role of the Integrated Care Consultant published by BTS. It also endorses the work by GPIAG on the accreditation and development of Practitioners with a Special Interest.
Click here for articles in the Primary Care Respiratory Journal and here for a link to the first article in British Journal of General Practice.
In the meantime, Skills for Health has produced a full dictionary of respiratory competences CHS67 Support individuals with long term conditions to manage their respiratory function Page 1 of 6 Final version approved March 2007.www.skillsforhealth.org.uk/page/. These can also be linked to the Map of Medicine work on pathways. The Map of Medicine is now available to all NHS staff — doctors, nurses, midwives, allied health professionals and trust managers in England and Wales. It requires registration. There are about 6 COPD pathways available.www.mapofmedicine.com/home.php
Referral criteria
Thorax has now published a statement of referral criteria for seven chronic respiratory conditions supported by IMPRESS.
Click here to download the supplement.
In addition, IMPRESS has supplemented this with the recommended content of a referral letter.
Click here to download a Word document.
Outpatients
IMPRESS has published advice on the shift of outpatients to care closer to home: Delivering Respiratory Care Closer to Home by Improving The Way Respiratory Outpatient Care is Provided.
Download the document here
Opportunity locator
Please click