Integrated & Community Services - Bury Lung Service

Introduction

You have been referred to the Bury Lung Service for support of your long term lung condition. This is because you may experience breathlessness, a chronic cough, or have frequent chest infections.

The Bury Lung Service is based at Ramsbottom Health Centre, but we offer clinic appointments across the borough, community group rehabilitation and home visits if necessary.

The team consists of respiratory specialist nurses, physiotherapists, therapy assistants and administrative staff. You may also meet students who are offered learning experiences with the team.

Our service vision

“To provide a compassionate and accessible, holistic respiratory service to patients in the hub of the community”.

Referral

All patients must be referred to Bury Lung Service by a clinician who knows your medical conditions. You must have a confirmed lung condition which may be newly diagnosed or you may have lived with it for many years.

We accept referrals from hospital Consultants or GPs and Practice Nurses, for example. Once you are known to the team, we allow self-directed referrals which means you can contact the service yourself to request further input.

Services offered

1. Acute nurse service – home visits
2. Chronic nurse support - clinic
3. Physiotherapy clinic
4. Pulmonary Rehabilitation groups
5. Long COVID clinic

Acute nurse service – home visits

Nurse home visits are offered to unwell patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or bronchiectasis who may be experiencing an exacerbation or worsening period of the lung condition. Nurses can support you at home by assessing your symptoms, prescribing and reviewing medications and providing short term use of a nebuliser when necessary. Your specialist nurse will also be able to refer you to other services should you have further needs.

Chronic nurse support – clinic

Nurses are available in clinic to offer an introduction to the nursing service which may include education on respiratory symptom management, inhaled medication management, offer new trials of treatment and referrals to other services. The nurses can discuss your care plan with specialist Consultants where required.

Physiotherapy clinic

You may be referred to respiratory physiotherapy due to problems clearing sputum or phlegm from your chest. You may also have been told you may have a breathing pattern disorder which the physiotherapist can assess for and offer treatment. The sessions are 1:1 in clinic.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary Rehabilitation is group based exercise and education classes requiring attendance twice weekly, for six weeks. The course is recommended for anyone who is experiencing breathlessness which is affecting their quality of life. Bury accepts all respiratory diagnoses including COPD, bronchiectasis, asthma, interstitial lung disease (ILD) and Long COVID.

Before starting classes, an assessment is arranged to ensure you are safe to exercise in a group. This assessment will be performed by a qualified physiotherapist.

The courses are held in community venues across the borough and you have a choice of which one you would like to attend. All classes are mixed with both males and females and varied physical ability. If you are not sure if you are able to participate in the classes, please speak to a member of the team.

If you would like to know where your nearest class is currently being held, please use the Greater Manchester Pulmonary Rehabilitation website – www.pulmrehabgm.co.uk or speak to the team via telephone.

Long COVID clinic

You may be referred to the Long COVID service if you continue to experience symptoms of COVID-19 four weeks after a confirmed or suspected infection.

Ongoing symptoms of Long COVID can be wide ranging and change over time. We offer a holistic assessment looking at your physical and mental wellbeing and make onward referrals for various therapy-based interventions to aid your recovery.

If your symptoms of Long COVID are more complex or severe we can also arrange for medical input through our specialist consultant.

Please use the following links for further information regarding Long COVID symptoms and support networks available across the UK- www.nhs.uk/conditions/covid-19 and www.longcovidsos.org

For any other information regarding long term lung conditions please use Asthma and Lung UK resources available via www.asthmaandlung.org.uk and 0300 222 5800 or contact Bury Lung Service.

Bury Lung Service contact details

Address: Bury Lung Service, 1st Floor, Ramsbottom Health Centre, Central Street, BL9 0DD
Email: burylungservice@nca.nhs.uk
Telephone: 0161 206 3502