Chiesi partners with Wirral Primary Care to improve COPD detection

New initiative aims to accelerate diagnosis and ease NHS pressures

Chiesi UK and Ireland and Wirral Primary Care Collaborative (WPCC) have launched COMET, a programme designed to enhance early diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the Wirral.

COPD is a leading cause of emergency hospital admissions, with an estimated 5,000 people living undiagnosed in the region, where prevalence is 40% higher than the national average. The programme offers early diagnosis and interventions to relieve pressure on primary care and A&E services.

Rachel Voller, advanced nurse practitioner at Moreton & Meols PCN, said: “An estimated two million people live with undiagnosed COPD in the UK, with symptoms like breathlessness and chronic cough often mistaken for fatigue or ageing. These delays in diagnosis lead to reduced quality of life for patients, costly emergency hospital admissions and irreversible lung damage.”

Individuals identified as at risk of COPD will be referred to community diagnostic centres for spirometry assessment. Those diagnosed will then receive immediate management at a diagnostic clinic, ensuring timely access to care.

COPD costs the NHS around £1.9 billion annually in England alone and contributes to some of the poorest respiratory health outcomes in Europe. COMET seeks to proactively identify those at risk and improve access to diagnostic and clinical assessment.

The initiative builds on insights from FRONTIER, a hospital-based programme in Hull that demonstrated targeted screening can improve access to testing and care. By contrast, COMET brings diagnosis and management into primary care, supporting patients in the NHS lung cancer screening programme.

Harriet Lewis, senior director of public affairs and communications at Chiesi UK and Ireland, said: “At Chiesi, we believe early action is key to improving outcomes for people living with COPD.”