COPD Inhaler Treatment Guidelines: A collaborative approach to guideline development and implementation (2019)

Wolverhampton CCG on behalf of Black Country & West Birmingham STP

Project Summary

As part of the work streams undertaken by the STP it was agreed to develop a working group - the Respiratory Medicine CLG (RM CLG) to focus on a single, common but simple programme of change on respiratory medicine across the STP.

The RM CLG were tasked to identify key projects of priority in respiratory that the group can collaborate on.

There was agreement to undertake the development of a standardised STP wide guideline on inhaler treatment in COPD.

This project was chosen to:

• Develop a consistent approach to GOLD/NICE recommendations for treatment of COPD across the STP
• Update of current local guidelines/ formularies and standardisation

The anticipated outcomes were:

1. Simplify and standardise advice given to clinicians on COPD to reduce opportunity for error
2. Implement training support to enhance understanding of the guideline and improve instruction given to patients on inhaler technique. Resulting in patients:
   
   • being reviewed holistically in line with a standardised guideline,
   • patient concordance being assessed,
   • inhaler technique demonstrated/corrected
3. Identify and incorporate prescribing switch opportunities associated with COPD into the training. STP wide forecast saving of £797,099 anticipated during 2019/20.

This project has demonstrated how members of RM CLG worked together across different organisations from the STP, negotiating and compromising , breaking down barriers and achieving positive outcomes for Health Care Professionals and patients