​Who we are

The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service supports patients who have been diagnosed with the lung condition chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). 

When you develop a lung condition most people find that it can get more difficult to do the normal day-to-day activities without getting breathless. Getting out of breath can be very frightening and can make you feel quite anxious which makes your breathlessness worse. You may find that you start to avoid doing activities which make you breathless and over time this can cause you to become less fit, more tired and more breathless. Pulmonary Rehabilitation can help to break this vicious cycle.

The main aim of pulmonary rehabilitation is to help you cope with being short of breath and lessen the fear and feeling of breathlessness. We aim to help you improve your general strength, helping you to feel fitter and stronger. Our service can also help you to: 

• understand more about your condition

• cope with your lung condition 
  

• feel more confident

• Iive a more active life. 
  

Who is our service for?

The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service is available for patients registered with a St Helens GP and have been diagnosed with COPD. 

Who do we work in partnership with? 

We work closely with GPs, the St Helens Community COPD Nursing Services and Respiratory Consultants at St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospital NHS Trust. 

How to access our service

You can be referred to the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service by your GP, practice nurse, community matron, consultant, COPD nurse or any other healthcare professional. (For healthcare professionals: guidance on referral criteria can be obtained by contacting our office on 01744 621706.)

Once we have received your referral, we will contact you by letter or phone to arrange an appointment with one of our physiotherapists.

What will happen at your first appointment? 

Your first appointment will last for 1.5 hours approximately. At this appointment we will talk to you about your lung condition, how you are managing, your general health and find out if you are taking any medications. We will also need to check your oxygen levels and overall fitness with two walking tests. 

You will also be able to highlight any personal goals that you want to achieve. 

Related links

British Lung Foundation - COPD - www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/copd