Respiratory

Pulmonary rehabilitation is one of the main treatments for those who have a chronic lung condition (including COPD, Asthma, Bronchiectasis, ILD) or heart failure, resulting in breathlessness during day-to-day activities.

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a 6-week programme including tailored exercises to improve your fitness and strength, and an education programme, designed to empower you in better managing your lung condition.

Referral process

You can be referred by your GP, a consultant, healthcare professional, or you can self-refer.

You can self-refer if:

• you are over 18 years old
• registered with a GP in Barnet
• have a diagnosis of COPD, chronic asthma, bronchiectasis, or interstitial lung disease.

To self-refer, please call 020 8732 6328, between 8am and 3.30pm.

If you have any questions prior to your assessment, please feel free to ring the physiotherapy team on 07508014860.

Our assessments and pulmonary rehabilitation classes are held at:

• Finchley Memorial Hospital: assessment clinic on Monday for classes on Monday 10am-12 noon and Wednesday 10-11am
• Edgware Community Hospital: assessment clinic on Thursday for classes on Tuesday 10am-12 noon and Thursday 11am-12 noon
• East Barnet Health Centre:  assessment clinic on Tuesday morning for classes on Tuesday 2-4pm and Friday 10-11am.

For peer support – Barnet Breath Easy group meets on first Thursday of the month 11am - 1pm The Meeting Room, at The Boardwalk Centre, Station Rd, Edgware, HA8 7BD (free parking available onsite). For more information, please call 0300 222 5800 or email supportgroups@asthmaandlung.org.uk.

See further information in the leaflets below:

Barnet pulmonary rehabilitation informations for patients

Barnet pulmonary rehabilitation informations for referers

Who are we? 

We are a dedicated multidisciplinary team specialising in assessment, treatment, and education for people with respiratory conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), Bronchiectasis, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Asthma. 

What do we offer?

• Pulmonary Rehabilitation 
• Supported Discharge (Secondary care referrals only)
• COPD Case Management
• Home Oxygen Assessment & Review
• Post Covid (ERS GP / HCP referrals only) 

Where are we?

Our assessment clinics are based at Willesden Centre for Health and Care, Robson Avenue NW10 3RY. 

Telephone 0208 102 3456 (select option 2 then option 6)

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary Rehabilitation is a tailored exercise and education programme designed for people with lung disease who experience symptoms of breathlessness.

We currently offer face-to-face group programmes twice a week for 6 weeks. We also have a home-based programme with telephone support.

What are the benefits of attending pulmonary rehabilitation?

We aim to help you better understand your condition and its management to get stronger, breathe better and do more.

• Download the NWL Pulmonary Rehabilitation Patient Information Leaflet
• Download the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Referer Information Leaflet

Watch a video on YouTube that will explain what pulmonary rehabilitation is and how it can benefit people who are limited by breathlessness:

Supported Discharge

The supported discharge service provides specialist respiratory support for patients discharged home from the hospital following an admission due to their chronic lung condition. Clinicians will carry out home visits and provide a combination of face-to-face and telephone support.

COPD Case Management

The COPD case management service aims to optimise long-term COPD management. We provide disease education, supported self-management and techniques to help recognise and manage symptoms.

Patient-Initiated Follow-Up:

As part of COPD case management and our commitment to providing ongoing support, within 12 months of discharge from the service patients can self-refer via our dedicated self-referral line provided to patients on discharge. 

Home Oxygen Assessment and Review Service

We provide both Long Term Oxygen Therapy and Ambulatory Oxygen Therapy assessment. 

This service is for patients with long-term conditions that have been identified as requiring home oxygen by their healthcare professionals. We will also see patients who currently have a home oxygen prescription and need support with ongoing reviews and management. 

Post Covid Service 

This service provides support for patients experiencing Long COVID symptoms, providing access to specialist support, treatment, and rehabilitation.

Resources for self-management post covid syndrome:

• Self-management - North West London NHS

How do I refer?

Please email all respiratory referrals to the Brent SPA at: clcht.brentspa@nhs.net
The SPA will be available from 08:00 to 17:00.
For more information contact the Brent Community Respiratory Team:
clcht.brentcomrespiratory@nhs.net 
 

For Post Covid: All referrals must go through ERS. 
For more information visit North West London ICS

The team also offer hospital at home admission avoidance.

Harrow referral information for GPs

The Merton team work together with you to manage your lung condition.

We are a multidisciplinary team, specialising in assessment, treatment and education of people with respiratory conditions and their families and carers.

Our team consists of specialist nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapist and rehabilitation assistants.

What we offer:

• Assessment to provide your individually tailored management plan
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation (exercise & education)
• Home exercise programmes
• Specialist oxygen support
• Help to manage your respiratory condition for example:
  • Advice on breathing techniques and how to manage feelings of breathlessness
  • Advice on how to manage your activities of daily living
  • Advice on relaxation to reduce anxiety related to breathlessness

Referral information:

Merton referral information for GPs

Our respiratory teams offer:

• Disease education for self-management
• Support with managing 'flare-ups' of COPD
• Medication reviews and advice on medication use
• Support for patients after discharge from hospital
• Assessment / review of home oxygen therapy
• Spirometry (basic lung function) testing - results returned to referring GP for discussion with patients
• The Wandsworth service offers no pulmonary rehabilitation
   

Contact details

• Phone (patient number): 0333 300 0950
• Email: clcht.wandsworthspa@nhs.net
   

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

This service is for patients:

• Who are aged 18 and over
• Who are registered with a GP within the NHS Wandsworth CCG area
• Who have a diagnosed respiratory long-term condition – including COPD, Pulmonary Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis

We do not deal with the following conditions:

• Non-respiratory oxygen assessment and review
• Breathless patients without confirmed appropriate respiratory diagnosis
   

Who can refer

• GP/Practice Nurse
• Any other Healthcare Professional
• Self-referral (If known to the service within the last 3 months)

Wandsworth referral information for GPs.
 

Contact details

• Phone: 0333 300 2350
• Email: clcht.wandsworthspa@nhs.net

The West Hertfordshire community respiratory service provides care for patients with a wide spectrum of respiratory conditions, including COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis, interstitial lung disease, tuberculosis and also obstructive sleep apnoea and domiciliary non-invasive ventilation services.

Our respiratory service is located in Hemel Hempstead, Watford, St Albans, Borehamwood and Potters Bar.

The service works in partnership with consultant respiratory physicians at local acute hospitals to provide consultant clinics across five locations in West Hertfordshire. The team of specialist respiratory nurses and physiotherapist provide hospital at home, home visits, management, home oxygen assessments and review, pulmonary rehabilitation and specialist clinics. Patients are also supported to self-manage their conditions through a seven day a week advice line operating 9am-5pm.
 

Our services include

Asthma

• Adults diagnosed with moderate to severe asthma with uncontrolled asthma
• Adult asthmatics admitted to hospital (reviewed within four weeks)
• Diagnosed asthmatics suffering from hyperventilation / disordered breathing

Bronchiectasis

• Confirmed diagnosis of bronchiectasis and condition unstable
• Frequent exacerbations / admissions (> two per year)
• Patients on nebulised antibiotics
• Patients requiring chest physiotherapy

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

• Confirmed diagnosis of COPD and condition unstable
• Frequent exacerbations / hospital admissions (>two per year)
• Clinical symptoms disproportionate to lung function tests or clinical decline
• Problematic withdrawal of steroids
• Complex patients requiring specialist MDT review

Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA)

• Patients suspected of OSA requiring sleep study and CPAP
• Epworth score greater than 11
• Loud and continuous snoring and excessive sleepiness affecting work & social activities
• Existing CPAP patients to be transferred to local community CPAP service

Pulmonary rehabilitation 

• Respiratory patient functionally limited by breathless with MRC 2 or above. For more information about inclusion criteria please open referral leaflet.

Home oxygen therapy 

• All Adults requiring home oxygen assessment
• SpO2 less than 92%

Tuberculosis nursing

• Contact tracing
• Treatment supervision including Directly Observed Therapy
• Advice on TB management

Interstitial lung disease (ILD)

• Confirmed diagnosis and shared care with specialist commissioned centres

Non-invasive ventilation 

• Respiratory conditions but not neurological conditions
   

Pulmonary rehabilitation in West Hertfordshire

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a programme of education and personalised physical activity training for people who experience breathlessness that affects their day to day activities, as a result of a long term respiratory condition.

The pulmonary rehabilitation team has recently achieved accreditation through the Royal College of Physicians’ Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services Accreditation Scheme (PRSAS).

What are the benefits of attending pulmonary rehabilitation? 

• Improved walking distance and general strength
• Improved ability to reduce and manage breathlessness
• Increased feeling of wellbeing and health related quality of life
• Increased self confidence, knowledge and ability to manage your condition
• Reduced likely hood of frequent hospital admission and infection episodes

You can find more information on the programme in our factsheets below:

• Patient information leaflet
• Referrer information leaflet

Examples of what people thought after completing our Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme include:

• Efficient, professional and compassionate service
• My ability to cope with the programme was taken into account. 
• The benefits are enormous and worthwhile.
• Just to listen and understand was enough.
• I can't think of anything that could have been better.
• I've come away with a better understanding and how to manage my health.
• Great sessions. 
• Staff very friendly and helpful.
• I feel more motivated.
• The staff is always caring and helpful

Online excercise videos

These videos are intended to be used by patients who have completed a Pulmonary Rehabilitation course with CLCH NHS Trust, to assist with ongoing exercise as a part of their lifestyle. Patients who have concerns about new symptoms or who are unable to perform the exercises due to new problems should seek advice from a healthcare professional first. These videos are not considered a replacement or a form of pulmonary rehabilitation. If you wish to be part of the programme please request to be referred.

Referral information 

We accept referrals from GPs, hospital consultants and community healthcare professionals, and once patients are known to the service they can self-refer back to the service during exacerbations or when they require advice and support.

Patients being referred must be living, or registered with a GP, in West Hertfordshire (Dacorum, Hertsmere, St Albans and Harpenden and Watford and Three Rivers localities).

Patients can be referred to the West Herts Community Respiratory Service using Choose and Book or by completing and submitting a referral form by email: westherts.resp@nhs.net or via eFax: 0300 008 3133.
 

Contact details

• Single Point of Access (SPA): 0300 020 0656
• Advice line: 07944 960825
• Email: westherts.resp@nhs.net
   

Referral forms

• Home oxygen referral form
• Obstructive sleep apnoea referral form
• Community respiratory clinic referral form