Topic Working Group - Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Clinical Care Standard

The Commission established a Topic Working Group (TWG) to advise on development for the COPD Clinical Care Standard. The TWG includes membership from individuals with relevant lived experience and clinical expertise including in general practice, respiratory medicine, infectious disease, emergency medicine, pharmacy, nursing, physiotherapy, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health - from states and territories around Australia. 

The main roles of the group were to:

• Provide expert advice on the development of the standard and related guidance materials
• Provide ongoing guidance on the impact of the standard on key stakeholders
• Acknowledge and take into account the perspectives of a broad range of stakeholders when providing advice to the Commission
• Advise the Commission on the scope and key components of care to be the focus of the standard
• Advise the Commission on the key sources of evidence to inform the development of the standard. This might include clinical practice guidelines, clinical standards, systematic reviews, evidence on current practice and quality improvement measures.
• Advise on the formulation of quality statements and supporting indicators
• Present potential strategies to the Commission that support the implementation of the standard
• Actively support raising awareness of the standard
• Advise the Commission on a review plan for the standard, and support any associated revision as required
• Actively support consultation on new resources developed
• Provide advice on communication strategies to support new resources
• Support and promote communication with stakeholder organisations to which they belong, including professional organisations, peak bodies and health organisations, where relevant and appropriate.

For those who are consumers, a key role is to advise the Commission on matters relating to their experience - whether as a patient or carer - and provide this perspective during the development of the standard.

All topic working group members are required to disclose financial, personal and professional interests that could, or could be perceived to, influence a decision made, or advice given to the Commission. Disclosures are managed in line with the Commission’s Policy on Disclosure of Interests.