New team to helplung patients

Highly experienced multidisciplinary teams, based at Altnagelvin, Tyrone County and South West Acute hospitals, have developed a range of diverse services to improve patient care offering clinical support, monitoring, education programmes and advice on self-management to patients and their families.

Patients can be seen in a range of settings, including their own homes, healthy living centres, clinics and GP practices.

Western Trust Chairman, Gerard Guckian said: “The Western Trust is delighted to be able to launch this new and vital service to patients with long term respiratory conditions. It is inspiring to see the commitment and dedication shown by the Community Respiratory Team in delivering innovative services to ensure our respiratory patients are receiving the highest quality of care.”

Dr Rose Sharkey, Respiratory Consultant with the Western Trust said: “For a number of years we have been developing our service across the Western Trust with the aim of enhancing the quality of life of patients with respiratory disease. The Community Respiratory Teams, based in three locations across the Western Trust, will further complement this service.

“By working closely with GPs and offering the best care in the most appropriate setting, we are providing connected health services in the local community which will minimise the requirement for respiratory patients to travel to our hospital sites. I am extremely proud of this development and hope that over the winter months our patients will start to feel the benefit of this new integrated service.”

Dr Brendan O’Hare, ICP Clinical Lead for the Western area, said: “Integrated Care Partnerships are working in local areas to improve services for respiratory conditions. GPs, in providing primary care alternatives to hospital services, ensure that only those patients who require more complex treatment and care need attend hospital.

“By sharing clinical skills, experience and expertise GPs in the Western area can work with the Western Trust to plan and deliver care which sustains services into the future. This is an excellent example of a truly collaborative way of working that will provide a better experience for patients, their families and carers, and, reduce pressure on hospital services.”