{
  "abstract": "Introduction and Objectives Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a cost-effective intervention proven to improve quality of life and survival. Individuals with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (if suitable) should start PR within 90-days of receipt of referral and individuals referred to PR following hospitalisation for an acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD) should be enrolled for PR within 30-days of leaving hospital. 1 It is important that all individuals eligible for PR are able to access the intervention in a timely way to prevent differences in access to care across geographical regions, which may lead to health inequalities.We aimed to assess if the time to access PR in individuals with stable COPD and individuals post AECOPD is meeting national guidelines.Methods The National Respiratory Audit Programme (NRAP) is a continuous national audit across England and Wales that collects clinical data from PR services, including time to access. This study used data on patients with COPD from the 2023–2024 PR clinical and organisational audit.Main results 27,507 individuals with COPD attended an assessment across 183 PR services. 40% (n=9164) of individuals with stable COPD referred to PR who enrolled in a programme started within 90 days of referral, with considerable variation in access across integrated care systems (3%, 14/451 - 75%, 624/828) ( figure 1). Only 4% (n=992) of individuals included in the PR audit were referred to PR after an AECOPD managed in secondary care, of which 69% (n=685) were enrolled. Of these patients, only 16% (n=109) started the programme within 30 days of referral.Abstract S138 Figure 1Variation in 90-day pulmonary rehabilitation referral to start date for patients with stable COPDConclusions The minority of individuals with COPD access PR in a timely way, with inequities across geographical regions. The small proportion of individuals referred to PR after an AECOPD indicates a missed opportunity for the majority of individuals. Ensuring that services are funded with suitable staffing levels may support timely access to PR.Reference BTS Quality Standards for Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Adults. 2014.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK",
        "Centre for Exercise and Rehabilitation Science, Biomedical Research Centre – Respiratory, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "H Drover"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "A Adamson"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "National Respiratory Audit Programme, Royal College of Physicians, Liverpool, UK"
      ],
      "name": "E Rochell"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "National Respiratory Audit Programme, Royal College of Physicians, Liverpool, UK"
      ],
      "name": "A Lewtas"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "National Respiratory Audit Programme, Royal College of Physicians, Liverpool, UK"
      ],
      "name": "A Fowles"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "H Kwok"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, UK"
      ],
      "name": "JK Quint"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "University of Southampton, Clinical and Experimental Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Southampton, UK",
        "University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, Southampton, UK"
      ],
      "name": "T Wilkinson"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK",
        "Centre for Exercise and Rehabilitation Science, Biomedical Research Centre – Respiratory, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK"
      ],
      "name": "SJ Singh"
    }
  ],
  "title": "S138 Timely access to pulmonary rehabilitation in stable COPD and following an acute exacerbation of COPD: insights from the national respiratory audit programme",
  "uid": "89bb588b-9740-5976-b3eb-932803df5861"
}