Respiratory care action plan draft: consultation report
The analysis of the consultation responses for the draft Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland, which sets out our vision for driving improvement in the diagnosis, treatment and care for those living with respiratory conditions.
Question 2: Priorities
| Option | Total | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 96 | 80.67% |
| No | 10 | 8.40% |
| Don't know | 7 | 5.88% |
| Not Answered | 6 | 5.04% |
| Total | 119 | 100% |
96 respondents agreed with the priorities of the Plan, with 10 disagreeing, 7 not knowing and 6 not answering. There were 52 expanded responses to this part of the question; to further breakdown the figures of those who responded:
- NHS (boards and organisations) 10
- Third sector organisations 14
- Private sector companies 7
- General public individuals 82
The majority of respondents agreed that the priorities included in the draft Plan were important, with suggestions on how to they could be strengthened. The main themes included: prevention; diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, data, education, staffing, and inequalities.
Breakdown of the most common themes:
Prevention
The majority of respondents who provided comments on Question 2 noted that the Plan should have a great focus on preventative measures.
For example, while the Plan notes the biggest risk factors include tobacco, air quality and respiratory infections, other notable factors not currently included are recreational drug use and living conditions.
The draft Plan also referenced the healthy weight delivery Plan, and respondents noted the importance of understanding how weight and weight management affects people with respiratory conditions.
Diagnosis
As well as the need for early diagnosis (especially in childhood), respondents were of the view that misdiagnosis and clinical interpretation of results also needed to be considered within the Plan. There were calls for improved diagnostic testing and support to diagnose in community pharmacies, hubs and within the primary care setting.
Treatment
There were some comments around treatment, ranging from environmental concerns around inhalers to the need to empower people to live well with their condition. Person-centred care and self-management were acknowledged as important, as was the need for longer consultations with GPs, access to basic asthma care and availability of pulmonary rehabilitation.
Outcomes
As with the responses to Question 1, respondents would welcome measurable outcomes, or targets, attached to the commitments. It was felt that condition specific sections would benefit from having targets to aim towards and that there needed to be timescales for implementing the Plan.
Public Education
Regarding education for the public and those with respiratory conditions, the need to raise awareness of all lung conditions and the funding of equipment and education were all recognised as key actions for the Plan.
Workforce
As with responses to Question 1 and Question 11, the view of respondents was that general staffing levels vary across Boards and that there needs to be a nationally agreed minimum level. Improved education resources for GPs regarding lung conditions, continual education for healthcare professionals and training on new equipment were all issues raised regarding training for staff.
Inequalities
Inequalities were considered, with concerns around access to care in remote and rural areas and the perceived centralisation of specialist resources.
A chart showing phrases from the Q2 responses. Prevention had 20 mentions; inequalities had 4.
A chart showing phrases from the Q2 responses. Prevention had 20 mentions; inequalities had 4.
Contact
Email: Clinical.Priorities@gov.scot
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