Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been referred for pulmonary rehabilitation in accordance with NICE guidelines in the most recent period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Guidelines state that “Pulmonary rehabilitation should be made available to all appropriate people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) including those who have had a recent hospitalisation for an acute exacerbation” ¹.

NHS England supports the national Asthma and COPD Audit Programme – led by the Royal College of Physicians – which provides data on a range of indicators to show opportunities for improving COPD outcomes. The audit shows that 13% of people with COPD are referred to pulmonary rehabilitation services². A continuous clinical audit of service provision and delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation is due to start in March 2019.

Notes:

¹Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in over 16s: diagnosis and management Clinical guideline Published 23 June 2010 www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg101

²https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/projects/national-asthma-and-copd-audit-programme-nacap-pulmonary-rehabilitation-workstream