Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of treatment for lung conditions in the NHS: and what steps his Department is taking to include this treatment in the NHS 10-year plan.

In collaboration with a number of partners, the National Health Service has developed a package for systems containing the information and support required to help increase the number of people receiving early and accurate diagnosis for respiratory disease. Following a significant drop in the volume of respiratory specific diagnostic tests, such as spirometry, during the pandemic, NHS England has managed to bring these numbers to above pre-pandemic levels.

In alignment with the Neighbourhood Health Service model, NHS England is leading on the development of an approach for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management to support proactive identification and management of rising risk patients in winter to reduce demand on primary and secondary care by identifying at risk patients, optimizing care, and strengthened support.

Furthermore, Core20PLUS5 identifies COPD as one of the five clinical areas of focus requiring accelerated improvement to help tackle healthcare inequalities. Focusing on respiratory health to increase vaccination uptake, namely for COVID-19, flu, and pneumovax, in people with COPD will avoid exacerbations leading to emergency treatment in hospital and inpatient care.

The 10-Year Health Plan will deliver the three big shifts our NHS needs to be fit for the future: from hospital to community; from analogue to digital; and from sickness to prevention. All of these are relevant to improving respiratory health in all parts of the county. More tests and scans delivered in the community to allow for earlier diagnosis, better joint working between services, and greater use of apps and wearable technology will all help people manage their long-term conditions, including respiratory conditions, closer to home. Earlier diagnosis of conditions will help people manage their conditions, prevent deterioration, and improve survival rates. Taking action to reduce the causes of the biggest killers, such as enabling a smoke free generation, can further help prevent lung conditions.