What is this service?
A community run treatment programme for people with long term lung conditions, whose breathing is causing them difficulty moving around or carrying out daily activities.
COPD patients may be referred into our Telehealth monitoring service, to find out more about Telehealth please click here.
What does this service do?
Our Pulmonary Rehabilitation group programme combines a personalised activity programme with education and advice to help people with lung conditions feel more in control of their breathlessness and their condition. The programme is run in community venues across Bristol and patients can choose where they would like to attend. Transport can be provided where necessary.
Patients attend for 6 weeks, twice weekly, for two hours. Patients can choose where they would like to attend pulmonary rehabilitation and, if applicable, transport can be provided.
Before the programme starts patients will have an appointment to see one of our specialist physiotherapists or nurses to complete a respiratory assessment and set individual goals.
Each pulmonary rehabilitation session consists of an hour of education including topics such as managing breathlessness and daily activities, common lung medications and healthy diet. This is then followed by a physical activity session which will be set to match patients' individual capabilities. The exercises aim to improve stamina and strength and help patients gain control of breathlessness during activity.
After completing our pulmonary rehabilitation programme many patients report that they can walk further, feel fitter, are better able to cope with their condition and therefore have an improved quality of life.
We work with Bristol City Council to develop supportive physical activity programmes for patients to attend after this programme ends.
Who is this service for?
This service is available to people who:
are over 18 years oldhave a long term lung condition that affects their ability to do daily tasks. This includes COPD, Bronchiectasis and Chronic Asthma.
The age of the patient and the severity of their condition should not affect a patient's ability to benefit from the programme as it is individually tailored to the person's needs and goals.
Emergency referrals can also be made for patients who have recently attended, or been admitted to, hospital with a flare up of their lung condition.
How can I access this service?
Any health care professional can refer to the service using the referral form - to access this download the 'COPD Referral Pathway from the 'Download Documents' section on the left side of this page.
Patients who have a diagnosis of a long term lung condition can self refer by contacting the Community Respiratory Team on the number below. Patients who self refer must be happy for our team to speak to their GP to gain their full medical history prior to attendance at the group.
How to contact us
Our programmes run on varying days and times between Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, at locations across Bristol.
Community Respiratory TeamAmelia Nutt Clinic
Withywood Centre
Queens Road
Withywood
BS13 8QA
0117 987 8335 / 0117 987 8336
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