Resources

Welcome to this latest issue of GPN. We are delighted to share the latest news in the world of Education for Health.

As always, we hope that you enjoy this issue of the journal and our news update.

Long-term conditions: asthma in children.

Respiratory tract infections, such as rhinovirus, can trigger asthma symptoms and lead to asthma exacerbations, which can constitute a medical emergency. Emergency admission data for asthma exacerbation in children reflect the dates of the return-to-school calendar, when children become more exposed to infection. While general practice nurses (GPNs) have recognised this pattern of asthma exacerbation in children for some time, there has been a lack of evidence around the factors that cause such alterations to patients’ airway pathophysiology. Unfortunately, avoiding exposure to viral respiratory infections is impossible, therefore this article examines how optimum asthma management is vital in reducing the impact of infection on the patient’s airways.

In each issue of the Journal of General Practice Nursing we investigate a topic currently affecting our readers. Here Lynne Bowers, independent health and care advisor, looks at resilience and asks "What it means for general practice teams".

Resilience has become a ‘tainted’ word associated with well-intentioned (or otherwise) taught sessions foisted upon bewildered staff.

Supporting patients with COPD to self-care. 

By 2030, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is projected to be the third leading cause of death worldwide (World Health Organization [WHO], 2016). Within the UK, it is estimated that around three million people are living with COPD in England alone, with two million of these unaware that they are living with the condition (Department of Health [DH], 2012).

It is the fifth biggest killer in the UK overall, causing about 30,000 deaths each year (DH, 2011). The condition itself is associated with considerable disability, impaired quality of life and high utilisation of healthcare resources.

Ground breaking nurse-led lung cancer project.

A recent independent evaluation of Liverpool’s Healthy Lung programme, undertaken by Queen Mary University of London and the University of Liverpool, found that this nurse-led programme is improving early detection of lung cancer and undiagnosed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Liverpool’s healthy lung programme was launched in April 2016 by NHS Liverpool clinical commissioning group (CCG), working in partnership with local hospitals, NHS England, Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support as part of the national ACE programme, with the aim of finding and treating as many cases of lung cancer and COPD as possible, and as early as possible.

Raising awareness to reduce the burden of COPD.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the major causes of death in the UK and worldwide. Although public awareness has increased over the last 20 years, many people have still not heard of it or know about the symptoms and disability it causes. World COPD day was established by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) to raise awareness of the condition.

Why reading can support patients' health and wellbeing.

The number of people in the UK living with long-term health conditions is rising, increasing the pressure on primary care services and staff as well as impacting on the quality of life of those affected. Primary care professionals, such as general practice nurses (GPNs), are responsible for a huge amount of the day-to-day care and management planning for these patients. Providing quality-assured information and support is an important part of this role, as is helping people to develop the right skills and knowledge to support self-care and self-management. 

National charity, The Reading Agency, works in partnership with public libraries to provide Reading Well Books on Prescription, i.e. carefully curated book lists of qualityassured health information and support, to help people to understand and manage a range of health conditions. This includes a new strand, launched in July 2017, which supports those living with long-term conditions, such as arthritis, bowel conditions, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.