Call 999 now
Call 999 for severe difficulty breathing, gasping or being unable to speak, blue or grey lips or skin, sudden confusion, or a tight or heavy chest.
Help and support
You do not have to work everything out on your own.
Find clear next steps for urgent breathing problems, worsening COPD symptoms, individual action plans, everyday support and caring for somebody with COPD.
Choose the right level of help
What should you do next?
Breathing symptoms can change quickly. Use the route that best matches what is happening now.
Contact NHS 111
Use NHS 111 when symptoms are worsening, you need urgent advice and you are not sure whether you need emergency care. You can also contact your GP or COPD team.
Arrange a review
Speak to your GP, respiratory nurse or COPD team about recurring symptoms, inhaler technique, your action plan, rehabilitation or other ongoing concerns.
Everyday support
Find the support that fits your situation
COPD support is not one single service. Different needs require different kinds of help.
Managing day to day
Build confidence around the practical parts of living with COPD.
- Understanding breathlessness
- Planning activity and rest
- Preparing questions for appointments
- Checking inhaler technique with a professional
Flare-ups and worsening symptoms
Know your usual symptoms and understand the agreed steps in your personal plan.
- Recognising changes from your normal
- Following your individual action plan
- Knowing who to contact
- Seeking urgent help when needed
Exercise and rehabilitation
Pulmonary rehabilitation combines suitable exercise with education for people with lung conditions.
- Improving confidence with activity
- Learning ways to manage breathlessness
- Building strength and stamina
- Ask your healthcare team about referral
Supporting somebody with COPD
Learn how to help without taking away the person’s independence.
- Understand their normal symptoms
- Know where their action plan is kept
- Listen and ask what support is wanted
- Look after your own wellbeing too
Emotional wellbeing
Breathlessness, uncertainty and changes to everyday life can affect emotional health.
- Speak openly with somebody you trust
- Tell your GP or clinical team how you feel
- Stay connected where possible
- Ask for help when coping feels difficult
Trusted professional help
Wheezy Does It supports informed conversations but does not replace professional care.
- Your GP or practice nurse
- Your respiratory or COPD team
- Your pharmacist
- NHS 111 and emergency services
Your individual plan
A COPD action plan should make the next step clearer
An action plan is personal to you. It should explain your usual symptoms, changes to look out for, any agreed medication steps and who to contact if you become more unwell.
Ask your GP, respiratory nurse or COPD team to help you create or review your plan. Keep it somewhere easy to find and make sure the people who support you know where it is.
Know your normal
Record what your usual breathing, cough, sputum and activity levels are like.
Recognise meaningful changes
Look for symptoms that are clearly worse or different from your normal pattern.
Follow your agreed instructions
Use medication only as prescribed and according to the individual plan agreed with your healthcare team.
Know when to ask for more help
Your plan should explain when to contact your GP, COPD team, NHS 111 or emergency services.
Rescue-pack safety
Rescue packs are individual treatment—not a general recommendation
Some people with COPD are prescribed a rescue pack containing medication to use when particular flare-up symptoms occur. Rescue packs are not appropriate for everyone and should only be used when prescribed for you.
Your healthcare professional should explain which symptoms mean you should begin the medication, how to take it, when to seek further help and what to do after using it.
Never use somebody else’s medication or begin antibiotics or steroids simply “just in case”. Speak to your GP or COPD team if you are unsure whether a rescue pack should form part of your own plan.
Living with the emotional impact
Support is not only about medication
COPD can affect confidence, independence, relationships and emotional wellbeing.
For people living with COPD
Feeling worried about breathlessness or frustrated by changing abilities is understandable. Tell your GP or clinical team if anxiety, low mood or isolation are affecting your life. Emotional health is part of COPD care.
Connect with Wheezy Does It →For families, friends and carers
Supporting somebody with COPD can involve practical help, uncertainty and emotional pressure. Ask the person what support they want, learn their emergency plan and remember that your own wellbeing matters too.
Tell us what carers need →
Professional support
Who may be able to help?
Your local arrangements may differ, but these are common routes to COPD advice and care.
GP practice
Reviews, prescriptions, referrals, vaccinations and support with changing or recurring symptoms.
Respiratory team
Specialist COPD care, action plans, symptom review and advice about pulmonary rehabilitation.
Pharmacist
Medication questions, inhaler use and advice on when concerns need clinical review.
NHS 111
Urgent advice when you are unsure what level of care is needed and the situation is not immediately life-threatening.
What Wheezy Does It can—and cannot—do
We can share lived experience, provide general information, point towards trusted resources and help people feel better prepared for healthcare conversations. We cannot diagnose symptoms, decide whether medication is suitable, alter treatment or provide emergency support.
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