By Mark Sullivan 
Each month, CREATION.co’s respiratory tracking update brings you the latest insights into the online UK healthcare professional (HCP) conversation regarding respiratory disease.
In the final CREATION.co Respiratory tracker of 2022. CREATION Pinpoint® identified 2,347 UK HCP posts discussing respiratory diseases between 21 November and 20 December which were authored by 1,205 UK HCPs. The online activity of UK HCPs discussing respiratory diseases decreased by 339 posts and only surpassed the previous average daily level of conversation on 7 days. Within this conversation the most frequent poster was Professor of Respiratory Medicine Nick Hopkinson who posted 44 times about respiratory disease.
In his most shared post of the month by HCPs, Nick Hopkinson relayed an article he had written for Asthma + Lung UK blog regarding Keeping Warm Hubs safe. Discussing the benefits of warm hubs in the current climate, which are being established by different organisations, Dr Hopkinson shared guidance that can be taken to reduce the risk of spreading respiratory viruses such as flu, COVID and RSV as well as winter vomiting virus for the most vulnerable members of society.
Working with experts in public health and lung disease, @asthmalunguk has produced guidance to help ensure that people running warm hubs can be confident that they are doing everything possible to make the environment safe for vulnerable people. https://t.co/ngjIfLGP4Q 1/n
— Dr Nick Hopkinson (@COPDdoc) December 14, 2022
The most shared post amongst UK HCPs in the respiratory disease online conversation was from Director of Primary Care at Betsi Cadwaladr, Karen Higgins. Her thread regarding GP access helped shine a light on the current services within the NHS and the benefits of patients being able to access an ‘Advanced Practitioner’ when it is not possible to “see a GP”. This thread sparked positive responses from HCPs thanking Higgins “for raising awareness of our role, and our contribution to healthcare” and the general public who shared their personal experiences with advanced practitioner’s and other roles in place of a GP. This also encouraged conversations amongst HCPs who assessed how they can help get awareness and education about this topic to the public.
A thread about 'GP' access:
Today my daughter was not well after nearly 2 weeks fighting a respiratory illness. It started as a virus so we held off calling our health centre (the term is important, 'health centre", not 'GP')
FACT: Antibiotics do not work for colds and flu 》》— Karen Higgins (@KarenellaB) December 19, 2022
On 01 December – one of the days in which UK HCP online respiratory disease posts exceeded the average of the past 3 months – 17 HCPs shared an article warning about UK pandemic readiness. In response to Kate Bingham raising concerns to a committee of MPs that COVID-19 could be on the rise again, HCPs believe the good work done to counter the pandemic is being dismantled on the altar of “moving on”. Moreover, HCPs spoke vehemently against the idea that the public must “muddle along” with what some people in positions of authority have regarded as trivial illnesses is an insult to those who have taken care to protect the vulnerable from a potentially severe disease & tried to educate others. Other HCPs highlighted the different strategies needed to battle against another pandemic.
Great article by @NicolaKSDavis 👏
Absolutely spot-on from Dame Bingham, we have become utterly complacent.
As for "management like other respiratory infections", or "suffering the occasional head cold", I'm left dumfounded by Dr Harries and Prof Bell.https://t.co/nKbJwkz3Kh— Stephen Griffin (@SGriffin_Lab) December 1, 2022
In the spirit of ending the year in a positive fashion it is worth noting the achievement of Professor Andy Bush who won the British Thoracic Society respiratory medal for his services to respiratory medicine, as he was heralded as a “true respiratory legend!!” by his peers who cited the formidable difference he has made to patients.
Each month, we track the HCP conversation relating to respiratory disease.
You can keep up to date with this and other pharmaceutical tracking updates, including COVID-19 developments, within the Tracking section of CREATION Knowledge, or sign up to receive our monthly eJournal with all of our latest HCP insights.
If you would like to dig deeper into what we have seen this month then please do get in touch.
Methodology
- This article analysed the Twitter conversations of HCPs in the UK discussing respiratory disease and related terms between 21 October and 20 November 2022 using CREATION Pinpoint®.
- Between 21 October and 20 November 2022, there were 2,762 UK HCP mentions of respiratory disease and related terms, from 1,326 unique UK HCP authors.
The UK Respiratory tracker archive
Sept 2022: Climate crisis = Health crisis, HCPs share their opinions at ERS 2022
Aug 2022: HCPs discuss the carbon impact of inhalers and thunderstorm asthma
July 2022: HCPs look forward to the COVID-19 booster and flu jab
June 2022: HCPs discuss Clean Air Day and react to Chris Whitty’s concern for young smokers
May 2022: Can you put a price on asthma care? UK HCPs discuss all on World Asthma Day
April 2022: UK HCPs stress COVID-19 is not finished yet
March 2022: UK HCPs welcome new Asthma and Lung UK charity and highlight unmet needs
February 2022: UK HCPs shared findings of the relationship between deprivation and asthma admissions
January 2022: HCPs shared how to prevent and control seasonal respiratory infections
December 2021: UK HCPs engaged in the British Thoracic Society’s 2021 Winter meeting
November 2021: Healthy lungs have never been more important to UK HCPs
October 2021: UK HCPs agree with 3 key messages of NHS campaign #AskAboutAsthma
September 2021: UK HCPs voice concern as cigarette company takes more control of UK inhaler market
August 2021: UK HCPs Debate The Comparisons Drawn Between COVID-19 And Other Viruses
July 2021: UK HCPS debate the impact of “Freedom Day
June 2021: UK HCPs rally behind their peers and others warn of ‘Thunderstorm Asthma’
May 2021: UK HCPs discuss inhaler technique on world asthma day
April 2021: UK HCPs celebrate positive trial for asthma drug used in COVID-19 patients
March 2021: UK HCPs share scientific research in COPD and encourage peer participation in surveys
February 2021: UK HCPs call for roll out of Respiratory Support Units at virtual BTS Winter Meeting
January 2021: UK HCPs use blue heart 💙 to show support for frontline respiratory healthcare workers
December 2020: UK HCPs engage with new COVID-19 respiratory support guidance from BTS and ICS
November 2020: UK HCPs celebrated new COPD patient charter on World COPD Day
October 2020: Virtual medical conferences drive online conversation in respiratory disease
September 2020: Respiratory conversation increased throughout month as HCPs #AskAboutAsthma
August 2020: In the absence of external developments, UK HCP interest in COVID-19 depletes
July 2020: UK doctors dismiss claims that masks limit oxygen intake for respiratory patients
June 2020: UK HCPs praise NHS trial enrolment that led to Dexamethasone approval for COVID-19
May 2020: UK HCPs celebrate NHS staff and give advice to patients on World Asthma Day
April 2020: UK HCPs protect peers and patients by responding to misinformation
March 2020: UK HCPs continue to educate on the coronavirus
February 2020: HCPs consistently engaged with Asthma UK throughout Jan 2020
January 2020: UK HCPs discuss #WORLDCOPDDAY and #BTSWINTER2019
December 2019: UK HCPs slam BBC news article on asthma carbon footprint
November 2019: HCPS encourage patients to #AskAboutAsthma
