The first meeting of the newly established Northern Ireland
Respiratory Forum was held this week on World COPD Day 2025.
The Forum, hosted by the Department of Health, comprises
healthcare professionals, charities and government officials who
will work together to improve respiratory services across the
region to create better outcomes for patients.
Respiratory disease includes a wide range of acute and long-term
conditions, like COPD and asthma, and is the leading cause of
unplanned hospital admissions in Northern Ireland.
Health Minister said: “I am delighted
to see the development of the Northern Ireland Respiratory Forum
and to see people coming together to work collaboratively to
improve services for people living with respiratory
conditions.
“It is very apt that the first meeting of the Forum was
on World COPD Day 2025. We currently have around 58,000
people who have been diagnosed with COPD in Northern
Ireland.
“My Department continues efforts to improve services for
adult asthma, interstitial lung disease, children's specialist
respiratory care and primary care and diagnostics. I have asked
my officials to formalise these work streams into a plan for
Northern Ireland, that builds on these priorities and extends
into other areas such as COPD, oxygen therapy and others. A key
element of the plan will be identifying care pathways which may
require future funding, but also any system changes that can be
achieved without additional investment.
“The Forum will coordinate and oversee this important
work.”
Joseph Carter, Head of Devolved Nations at Asthma + Lung UK, one
of the health charities taking part in the Forum, said: “We are
delighted that the Department of Health is launching Northern
Ireland's Respiratory Forum and kick starting a tranche of work
focussed on improving services for people living with chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
“By bringing together health charities, government officials and
health care professionals, we hope that the group will work
proactively to inform and push forward policies to help the many
thousands of people living with COPD in Northern Ireland.
“By working together, we can help advance lung health up the
political agenda, helping to improve the lives and outcomes of
people with COPD.
“We would like to thank the Minister of Health and his officials
for supporting the development of a strategy to improve
respiratory health for people across Northern Ireland.”
Notes to editors:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for
a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties. It
includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis.
- The Forum will meet on a quarterly basis.
