The Community Respiratory (CORE) Team offers specialist multi-disciplinary support, education, optimisation of care and treatment to patients with long-term respiratory conditions.The service is committed to optimising patients' own knowledge of their illness and self-management skills.

Patients must  have a breathlessness score of three and above. MRC of two is accepted if limited by Breathlessness as per Medical Research Council (MRC) scale. 

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

The patient must meet all of the following criteria:

• confirmed chronic respiratory diagnosis such as COPD, Bronchoectasis, stable chronic asthma, lung cancer, intertistial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension, post COVID-19, lung transplant, lung volume reduction, chronic heart failure, post-hospital discharge COPD with breathlessness that limits functional ability (usually MRC 3 or more)
• optimal medical management
• able to walk 5m independently (with or without walking aids)
• able to follow simple commands (in a group environment)
• agrees to referral after full explanation
• can commit to attending twice a week for six weeks (if not, once a week will be offered for eight weeks)
• able to make their own way to the venue (advice on taxi card/dial a ride/disabled freedom pass etc will be provided by the team if appropriate)
• if a non English speaker, a regular carer can attend to help interpret or interpreting services can be arranged 

Exclusions

• severe/uncontrolled heart failure
• uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmias or hypertension
• myocardial infarct in last six weeks
• unstable angina
• any other unstable cardiac disease
• untreated/uncontrolled diabetes or epilepsy
• infection control risk (e.g. untreated pulmonary TB)
• significant co-morbidities (e.g. stroke, dementia, severe arthritis) that render them unsafe/unable to exercise in a group setting.

How to Refer