Breathing clinic waiting time cut

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Waiting time at a clinic for Islanders with breathing problems has been cut from more than a year to just 12 weeks after more funding was found.

More Islanders are being able to use the Pulmonary rehabilitation clinic offered by the Health and Social Services department that aims to improve the health and fitness of people with breathing difficulties.

Health also say that fewer people are dropping out of the clinics, which cover fitness and breathing techniques, and that the people who use it find that their health improves.

A total of 76 patients have now started the programme and there are 27 people on the waiting list. Around 12 patients attend twice-weekly sessions for eight weeks on the course.

Physiotherapist Louise Woodland said: “We are very pleased with the patient feedback we’ve had from the pulmonary rehabilitation clinics. People who attend them report a range of benefits including reduced breathlessness, improved emotional wellbeing and better understanding of their condition. What’s really pleasing is that 80 per cent of people who attend report reduced fatigue.”

The classes are run at Springfield Stadium by Health department physiotherapists and are open to patients who have been referred to the department who have lung conditions including COPD, pulmonary fibrosis and bronchiectasis.