The Service aims to deliver specialist respiratory care to clients living with a chronic respiratory condition within the community. It aims to facilitate early supported hospital discharge and prevent hospital admission. The team also provide pulmonary rehabilitation, self-management, education and advice, which enables and empowers clients to live independent lives. The team deliver the Home Oxygen Assessment and Review (HOSAR) service for the Southern Trust.

Patients with a confirmed diagnosis (evidence from spirometry) of COPD / Bronchiectasis/ Interstitial lung Disease- exacerbation management
Prevention of Hospital admission
Long term Management

Home Oxygen Assessment & Review- with Arterial Blood Gas analysis
Provision of Pulmonary rehabilitation and Maintenance Pulmonary rehabilitation programs for the area
Home visits and clinic referrals
Advisory role for other health professional / specialist teams
Digital monitoring for appropriate Respiratory Patients

For Long Term Disease Management & Acute Exacerbation Management:

• Those without a respiratory diagnosis will not be accepted
• Severe acute asthmatics
• Neurological patients
• Patients with haemoptysis
• Severe hypoxia
• Haemodynamically unstable / Tachycardia (>120bpm)
• Acute type 2 respiratory Failure
• Impaired consciousness
• Suspected lung cancer or TB
• Acute Pulmonary oedema

Exclusion Criteria for Pulmonary rehabilitation :

• Activity limited by locomotor problems or cognitive impairment.
• Apathy/ not motivated.
• Unstable Angina or decompensated Heart Failure.
• Embolism or MI within the past 6 weeks.
• 2nd or 3rd degree heart block
• DVT at present.
• Contraindications: * Metastatic cancer * Unstable asthma * Unstable hypertension
• SpO2 <90%

Home Oxygen Assessment and Review (HOS-AR)

Oxygen is not recommended for those who are still smoking, given the high risk of fire.

• Patients with neurological condition must be seen by a respiratory consultant before referral.
• Patient should be without exacerbation for 5-6 weeks and clinically stable

Urgent referrals should be made via telephone with a follow up written referral via the agreed route

Team accept self-referrals for patients previously known to the service

• CCG GP referrals
• Consultant Respiratory Physician referrals
• Acute Respiratory Team referrals
• AHP and DN referrals