People in Gloucester living with long-term lung conditions are set to benefit from a new breathlessness support service run by Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice.
The hospice has joined forces with the Gloucester Inner City Primary Care Network to deliver specialist care closer to home, helping patients who may struggle to access traditional services.
The programme includes one-to-one physiotherapy, outpatient clinics and Take a Breath – a six-week rehabilitation group that combines circuit-based exercises with practical techniques to manage breathlessness linked to conditions such as COPD, asthma and bronchiectasis.
Sarah Sharp, physiotherapist at Sue Ryder Leckhampton Court Hospice, said: “We’ve built this partnership from the ground up, starting with one clinic and now reaching patients across the whole inner-city PCN. The response has been incredible, and the rehabilitation sessions are already improving mobility and quality of life.”
For some patients, accessing care in familiar surroundings has been key. Sonia Silk, Respiratory Specialist Nurse Lead at Gloucester Health Access Centre, explained: “Many of our patients can’t travel due to mobility issues or anxiety. Having a clinic in the community means they can get the support they need in a place they trust. We’ve already seen people using fewer rescue medications and feeling more confident in managing their breathlessness.”
The community respiratory clinic now runs fortnightly across inner-city practices, and later this month the hospice team will pilot Take a Breath at a Gloucester community centre to further widen access.
Sonia added: “This partnership ensures patients with respiratory conditions have the same access to specialist services as anyone else. It’s a truly personalised approach that benefits both patients and primary care teams.”