Guidelines for improving care in respiratory disease in the UK

More than eight million people in the UK have respiratory conditions and one in four people die from them. We appear to be facing a major paradox with regard to the management of respiratory disease in the UK. Although we have a wide range of diagnostic tests and effective treatments at our disposal, we do not appear to be making any impact on the morbidity and mortality of respiratory disease. Respiratory disease needs to be moved onto the 'must do' agenda.