Lung disease group is an inspiration

THE WORK of a Perthshire health organisation has been praised for the help it provides to people with respiratory conditions.

The Airways Group supports clinical services and provides leadership to improve quality of life for its members.

It was set up by the Perth and Kinross Community Health Partnership (CHP) committee in 2008 as part of efforts to coordinate work around a range of conditions, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Over the last six years, the group has been involved with clinical services from primary and secondary care, as well as in managed clinical network input and patient representation.

Since 2013, the Airways Group has also played a key role in a range of projects aimed at improving respiratory services in Perth and Kinross.

This has included the home oxygen initiative, which involved an overall review of services by NHS Tayside.

Changes were made to the assessment and provision of oxygen therapy as a result.

The Airways Group has also taken part in pulmonary rehabilitation programmes which are in place across Perth and Kinross.

These provide advice and education to patients who have to live with a respiratory condition, as well as incorporating exercise as a key method to help improve respiratory function.

Training programmes have introduced throughout Tayside.

Community nurses are sharing further learning about COPD with their teams, and five have undertaken a validated COPD module at Dundee University.

Meanwhile, schools have also signed up to an asthma training programme.

NHS Tayside, the Airways Group and the council’s education department have all worked in partnership to develop joint guidelines for the management of asthma in schools and a training plan is now in place.

Allied health profession lead Jane Dernie welcomed the work being done by Perth and Kinross CHP and Airways.

She said: “Many people, both old and young, have to live day-to-day with the effects of respiratory conditions.

“Perth and Kinross CHP are keen to ensure that there is best practice in all areas of services to ensure these people know how best to manage their condition.”

Her views were echoed by Bill Nicoll, general manager for Perth and Kinross CHP.

He added: “Respiratory conditions can be extremely challenging when people experience worsening symptoms or an acute phase of illness, and the appropriatelynamed Airways Group have been working to reduce these events and to work with people to live well with the conditions.”

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