Palliative care in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a slow, debilitating, progressive disease and, as symptoms worsen, quality of life is affected and issues surrounding end of life arise. There are known difficulties about the healthcare professional's ability to manage this area and this is reflected in the literature. It is recognized that palliative care services for people with non-malignant diseases are not developed but this needs to be addressed. Within a London teaching hospital the COPD team has been working towards improving the standard of service offered to patients with advanced COPD using various strategies. The team's approach to this area of care focuses on quality of life by recognizing when an individual may need further support, and patients have reported that they feel their needs are being addressed. This article aims to review current evidence on the management of palliative care for patients with COPD and identify what steps have been taken by a London teaching hospital to address this issue.