This document provides guidance for general practices on managing patients with respiratory conditions remotely via either telephone or video consultations.
Download Respiratory conditions – Remote consulting tips for GPNs
Within these unprecedented times, the usual call and recall system needs to be replaced with a proactive identification and risk stratification of patients requiring a review. The highest risk patient being those with:
- Exacerbation of COPD within the last 6 months
- More than 1 exacerbation in the last 12 months
- Hospitalisation as a consequence of COPD in the last 12 months
- Have used more than 12 salbutamol inhalers in the last 12 months
- Those already identified as fulfilling the national criteria to shield
- Previous FEV1’s consistently below 500mls
These patients should be listed for a review as a priority, these criteria indicate they are at higher risk of exacerbation/pneumonia without Covid19 infection. Potential infection of Covid19 therefore could easily lead to pneumonia and serious complications.
