Spirometry in Primary Care: Guidance on reinstating spirometry

Restoration of spirometry is a key step in managing respiratory disease, ensuring the correct diagnosis and therapeutic / referral interventions. Regrettably due to COVID provision of spirometry in primary / community settings has greatly reduced or ceased. This needs to be addressed with a matter of urgency to limit patient harm, whilst talking opportunities learnt from COVID to deliver better care.

Attached are two documents, one from the Association for Respiratory Technology and Physiology (ARTP) and one from the Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRS) to aid restoration of spirometry services by mitigating risk to both staff and patients. These were developed from a Task and Finish group established by the NHS England and NHS Improvement Clinical Policy Unit