Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of death and hospitalisation in Australia, affecting approximately 4.8% of the population (aged 45 years and over) and placing a significant burden on the healthcare system, particularly among Indigenous Australians. ^1,2

Various studies and dispensing data suggest that many patients with COPD are not receiving care aligned with evidence-based standards. Research indicates substantial gaps between guideline-based recommendations and current GP-recorded assessments, particularly regarding the quality use of medicines and the identification of patients with moderate disease. ^3-5

In a national survey of Australian GPs, nearly half of COPD cases were classified as moderate, yet a significant disconnect remains between clinical practice and the management strategies outlined in the COPD-X Plan. ³

Furthermore, while the use of COPD Action Plans has been proven to reduce emergency department attendances and hospital admissions, there is a clear need for increased implementation of these tools to prevent disease progression and improve patient self-management. ^4,5

In this CPD activity, you will revisit the current management of patients with COPD against the updated COPD-X Plan and Handbook, and implement evidence-based management using pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to benchmark your practice against the latest guidelines.

This is an RACGP CPD and CPD Home-accredited module with an allocated 1 hour of Education Activities (EA), 10 hours of Measuring Outcomes (MO), and 2 hours of Reflective Practice (RP) under the RACGP 2026-28 CPD program.

References:

1. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/chronic-respiratory-conditions/chronic-respiratory-conditions/contents/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-1.
2. Hancock K. Updated action plan for essential COPD management. News GP>GP Opinion; 30 Nov 2022. https://www1.racgp.org.au/newsgp/gp-opinion/updated-action-plan-for-essential-copd-management.
3. Reddel H et al. Australian Family Physician 2017;46:413-419.
4. Yang IA et al. The COPD-X Plan: Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for the management of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease 2025. Version 2.78, October 2025. Published online 18 December 2025 https://copdx.org.au/copd-x-plan/
5. Dabscheck E, et al. COPD-X Australian guidelines for the diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: 2022 update. Med J Aust. 2022;217(8):415-423.

All websites accessed March 2026.