Engagement continues on pulmonary rehabilitation

Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board is planning the next phase of engagement on accessing pulmonary rehabilitation after a successful first stage.

An engagement exercise was conducted between 31 October and 16 December, 2022, with feedback collected through a survey hosted on the Joined Up Care Derbyshire (JUCD) online engagement platform, and we also held a virtual focus group.

Key themes from the engagement highlighted areas such as the cost of transport to get to appointments and the large time commitment required, especially for those that had a job. Recommendations for improvement included ensuring the service was offered as a mixed approach with options for both face-to-face and virtual appointments.

This was the first phase of the engagement, and we will continue to speak to people throughout this work and report back on the findings throughout the process. The next phase of engagement is being planned and will include collecting data through targeted engagement with under-represented groups.

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a treatment programme made up of exercise and education sessions and is designed for people with lung conditions. The aim of these sessions is to improve the quality of life, reduce symptoms of breathlessness and provide education for patients to support themselves better. People who attend receive a personalised plan which they follow over a six-week period (two sessions per week for six weeks).

The NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (DDICB) has an opportunity to refresh its local PR programmes in a more fair and inclusive manner. In Derby and Derbyshire, the PR programmes have been running for over five years and are currently delivered by two providers. The delivery of PR programmes differs between providers, these differences include:

  • How referrals are screened
  • Content of initial assessments
  • Types of programmes (face-to-face, virtual, at home)
  • Delivery of virtual PR programmes.

We wanted to understand how we can make improvements, such as offering different options for how people can use the PR service, and what these different options might be. We also want to increase awareness and the benefits PR can bring to those with lung conditions such as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

If you would like to find out more about this work, visit the pulmonary rehabilitation section on the Joined Up Care Derbyshire online engagement platform. You can see a summary of data collected so far, view upcoming opportunities for getting involved and submit any questions you may have about the work.