ABPI collaborates with NHS PCT on COPD care

A pilot project which aims to enhance the treatment of National Health Service patients in Nottingham, UK, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been announced by the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the Nottingham City Primary Care Trust. The Industry and Nottingham NHS Focus on Reducing COPD Exacerbations (INFORCE) is a collaboration between Nottingham PCT, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust and a group of five drugmakers working alongside the ABPI under the auspices of the group's NHS outreach program. The five companies taking part are UK-headquartered majors AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline, as well as global behemoth Pfizer, Germany's Boehringer Ingelheim and Denmark-based Nycomed.

The project aims to further improve care for patients with COPD, and ultimately reduce the number of unplanned admissions to hospital, the ABPI explained. It is estimated that there are 3.7 million people in the UK with the respiratory condition, with around 140 COPD-related deaths in Nottingham alone. Additionally, up to 1,000 admissions to hospitals in the city occur each year with a primary diagnosis of COPD, many of which are actually multiple admissions of the same patients.

The INFORCE program aims to reduce the number of patients who are admitted to hospital with an exacerbation of the condition. The project team will review the treatment of people who were admitted during a certain period to identify common factors that may have led to their hospitalization, in order to understand if there are any improvements that can be made to current treatment guidelines and service provision. The initiative is also intended to help people with COPD manage their condition more effectively at home and, ultimately, reduce the need for emergency admissions to hospital.