Community Respiratory Services

What are our plans for respiratory services?

We are planning to employ two Community Respiratory Consultants who will:

• coordinate services across GP practices, community services and within hospitals
• hold outpatient clinics in the community so that you are less likely to need to go to hospital.

We are planning to employ extra respiratory specialist nurses to run COPD clinics with GP practices to provide:

• a local specialist service away from hospital
• respiratory information (especially when diagnosed initially)
• information and advice at all stages of the condition
• regular reviews
• care plans
• referral to other services such as the pulmonary rehab team
• signposting to smoking cessation services, immunisation clinics, patient groups and other services
• self-management techniques
• medicines advice
• rescue packs and advice on how to use them
• access to spirometry to measure lung function
• training on how to use the ‘My COPD’ app to help self-manage chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) and other respiratory conditions.

We are striving for earlier diagnosis of respiratory conditions by:

• helping practices find patients who might be at risk of developing  COPD
• running a British Lung Foundation Public awareness campaign to raise awareness of and increase early diagnosis of COPD. These events will run Autumn 2017 for the Peterborough and Wisbech areas; patients in these areas have been identified as most at risk of developing COPD.

We are planning to:

• provide British Lung Foundation-run self-management workshops
• support the local Singing for Lung health group
• improve pulmonary rehabilitation services
• provide training for nurses to obtain spirometry accreditation
• promote the use of the ‘My COPD’ app.

So what will this mean for patients?

The main benefits are: 

• Earlier diagnosis meaning you will be able to start managing your condition earlier and therefore remain better for longer
• Being more in control of your condition through the right support and being more knowledgeable about your condition
• Maintaining your independence for longer  as you will have the tools to manage your condition and the support locally
• Your condition will be managed in  your home or in the community with less visits to hospital
• Access to more local services such as clinics held at GP practices and locally held outpatient clinics
• Better and more effective usage of your medicines through support at the clinics held at GP practices
• Feeling better about your condition through support available and the ability to self manage
• Having a better patient experience and feeling more in control of what can be a frightening condition.

Why respiratory services?

•  Our area admits more respiratory patients to hospital than other similar areas
  
• Our area has a high number of people with respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD)
• These services cost more in our area per patient than other areas.

Further information 

For further information, or to get involved with the Respiratory Services project, contact Adrian McLean-Tooke, Project and Service Improvement Manager, Long Term Conditions.

You can also visit the British Lung Foundation website for advice and information on respiratory conditions and steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing these conditions.

Listen to your lungs

Feeling short of breath from time to time is healthy and normal – but sometimes it can be a sign of something more serious.

The British lung Foundation are encouraging people not to ignore getting out of breath, and helping them decide if it's time to speak to someone about it.

Take their free online breath test today! 

Answer some simple questions to see if you should get it checked out. It only takes about five minutes, and it’s completely confidential.