North Network, Bridgend (ABMU Health Board) and GlaxoSmithKline Bridgend Valley’s Healthy Lungs Project

North Network, Bridgend (ABMU Health Board) and GlaxoSmithKline UK (GSK) are engaged in a Joint Working Project to improve patient outcomes and equity of care for patients with COPD and Asthma within the member practices.

Both parties have committed resources to support this project, which will run from the 1st November 2012 – 1st December 2013.
The Joint Working agreement aims to improve the quality and productivity in the management of patients through an audit in primary care, an educational programme and standardised patient review based on NICE COPD guidelines and British Thoracic Society / Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (BTS / SIGN) asthma standards of care.

The project is designed to support:

• Correct diagnosis of COPD and Asthma
•Prevention of COPD and Asthma exacerbations through increased patient review and appropriate use of medications in line with NICE COPD guidelines and BTS/SIGN asthma guidelines
• Equity of service delivery across all practices in the North Network through the education of Healthcare Professionals
• Improvement and assessment of the quality of the COPD and asthma services (consultations) received, as assessed by patients
• Reductions in secondary care emergency admission rates in COPD and asthma with the aim of reducing overall spend on emergency admissions
• Medicines Optimisation in line with disease diagnosis and severity, according to NICE COPD Guidelines and BTS asthma Guidelines
• Awareness among practices, of the patient pathway for asthma and COPD and associated services available and how to access them
Quality and appropriateness of referrals to secondary care and community services

For further information please contact:

Emma Hill, Account Manager ABMU, GSK. Email emma.x.hill@gsk.com
Chrissie Bryant, Business Director Wales, GSK. Email chrissie.m.bryant@gsk.com

Bridgend Healthier Lungs Project
UK/RESP/0104a/12 – November 2012