COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) refers to a group of lung diseases that block airflow as you exhale and make it increasingly difficult to breathe.
COPD Outreach provides a home visit service to patients with COPD following admission to hospital because of COPD. When you are ready, a hospital doctor may refer you to the outreach programme.
COPD Outreach staff will see you on the ward before you go home. They will decide how often they need to visit depending on their assessment and they will phone you the week after you go home from hospital to arrange a visit.
At each visit they will,
- Assess your lungs
- Monitor your health e.g. blood pressure and heart rate
- Give you advice on your medications and inhalers
- Teach you breathing exercises
- Provide you with an exercise programme if required
- Help you with any other difficulties relating to your breathing
- Help you to stop smoking if required
The COPD Outreach team will be available to talk to you on the phone about your breathing until you are discharged from the service
