Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to increase the number of staff who assist people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

National Health Service trusts and general practitioner surgeries are responsible for ensuring they have the right level and skill mix of staff available for the patients that seek their help with conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The majority of people with COPD will largely receive their care from registered nurses, physiotherapists and healthcare support workers. Since 2010, there are over 12,200 more nurses on our wards, over 1,100 more physiotherapists and over 21,000 more healthcare staff providing support to doctors and nurses.