Introduction
The most commonly used pulmonary function test is spirometry. This test measures how much air you can breathe in and out and how quickly you can move air out of your lungs. Spirometry is a powerful tool for the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma and COPD and its use is recommended by international guidelines for asthma and COPD [1–3]. The updated NICE guidelines of 2010 state that all health professionals managing patients with COPD should have access to spirometry and must be trained and competent in its use and interpretation. The increased availability of spirometers has led to improved access in primary care. Spirometry appears to be a simple test; however, it depends upon the quality of equipment and patient cooperation and, foremost, requires highly trained and competent staff to perform and evaluate the test correctly.
Spirometry training practices in Europe
Many European countries have shown a growing interest to regulate the quality of spirometry education.
The American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society (ERS) Task Force on Standardisation of Lung Function Testing [4] recommends a standard training similar to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-approved spirometry programme in the USA, which includes the fundamentals of spirometry standards and hands-on training. Competency is demonstrated by passing a written and practical examination in the presence of an experienced instructor.
To assess the current situation of spirometry training in Europe, an online survey was carried out in 2008 by the ERS. This survey showed that, due to a lack of well-structured training opportunities, 94% of the respondents identified a need for standardised training courses.
The results of this survey launched the European Spirometry Driving Licence (ESDL) HERMES (Harmonised Education of Respiratory Medicine in European Specialties) project. The aim …