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Tackling lung disease through holistic respiratory care
23 October 2026
Asthma and COPD are being made worse by climate change, poor air quality, pollen, mould, thunderstorms and winter viruses. These raise the risk of worsening symptoms, hospital admission and death. Beverley Bostock, advanced nurse practitioner and President of the Primary Care Cardiovascular Society, argues that the government should do more to support a joined-up, whole-person approach to lung care.
National and international guidelines call for early, accurate diagnosis, personalised treatment and support for self-management. Many people with COPD also have heart disease, heart failure, type 2 diabetes or mental health problems. Care should therefore look at the whole person, not only their lungs.
Care is uneven across the country. Access to training and protected time differs between GP practices. Some practices still lack the diagnostic equipment guidelines recommend, such as spirometers and FeNO testing devices, mainly because of cost. This delays diagnosis, especially in underserved areas. Respiratory infections can also trigger flare-ups and raise the risk of heart attack. Even so, vaccine uptake remains low, and trust in healthcare advice appears to have fallen.
The article calls for:
- funded training and protected time for primary care staff
- equal access to recommended diagnostic equipment
- care that addresses other conditions alongside lung disease
- more support for healthy living, including nutrition, housing and clean air
- shared decision-making to help rebuild trust
Government, clinicians and the public all have a part to play, from prevention through to treatment.
Read the full article.
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