Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2018 to Question 183881 on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, what steps he is taking to tackle the increase in the number of people diagnosed with that disease.

Improving care for people with lung disease is a key priority for the National Health Service.

The NHS RightCare Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) pathway, is being rolled out nationally through clinical commissioning groups and defines the core components of an optimal service for people with COPD. The pathway provides a set of resources to support local health economies to address variation and improve population health.

NHS England is also working with NHS Improvement, Public Health England and the third sector to ensure all components of the COPD pathway including, identification, diagnosis, treatment and management of respiratory conditions are coordinated across the health system.