About us
The community respiratory service specialist advice for the management of complex respiratory conditions (with the exception of Asthma) by specialist nurses and physiotherapists. Once referred patients are offered an assessment followed by education and support to manage their condition.
The service also delivers a Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service in Chesterfield, North East, Bolsover, High Peak and Dales.
Pulmonary rehabilitation is an established method of care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, interstitial lung disease, and other related breathing disorders. This service is available through North Derbyshire and in the High Peak and Dales. Pulmonary rehabilitation is all about helping you to cope with your breathlessness and making you feel stronger and fitter.
About our team
Our team includes highly trained specialist respiratory physiotherapists, respiratory nurses, therapy assistants, a technical instructor and our friendly and supportive team administrators.
- Melissa Dalton, Clinical Lead for Cardiorespiratory service
- Dena Ediker, Team lead Respiratory Physio and Pulmonary rehab service
- Sarah Middleton, Team lead for Respiratory Nursing
What are our core service delivery hours?
Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays) 08:30 to 17:00
Which area do we cover?
This service is offered at various locations throughout North Derbyshire. We hold clinics in Chesterfield, Staveley, Bolsover, Claycross, Cresswell, Matlock, Bakewell and Buxton.
About our pulmonary rehabilitation programme
Pulmonary Rehabilitation consists of exercise training and education/information sessions for small groups of people who all have breathing problems. The sessions are relaxed and informal and you can bring along a spouse or carer with you if you wish.
We work with each individual patient to determine which interventions are most appropriate. This could be a combination of pharmacological (drug) and non-pharmacological interventions (eg exercise training and education/information sessions).
Our interactions with you may be by phone, video or in person.
Our programmes run over six consecutive weeks and there are two sessions per week.
The education/information sessions cover a range of topics, including breathing techniques, the benefits of exercise, coping with a chest infection, inhaled and other medication, advice on diet and nutrition, healthy lifestyles and self-help techniques.
We understand that the idea of exercising if you are breathless may seem strange if not actually frightening, but evidence shows that undertaking pulmonary rehabilitation improves your ability to exercise and as the programme goes on you should be able to start walking greater distances and also start to feel less breathless in your day to day activities. At all times you will be supervised and supported by staff expert in helping people exercise.
In most circumstances you will be referred to our Pulmonary rehabilitation programme by your GP, Practice Nurse, or maybe a Consultant. They will be able to tell you about how this programme works and how it will help and benefit you.
Once referred you will have an assessment followed by education and support to manage your condition.
Occasionally we do accept self-referral, but this is only when a patient has consented for us to access their medical records.
Whilst we are planned care and do work within national waiting time targets, waiting times can vary. Please discuss this with our admin team when you call the office.
Home visits are prioritised for those who are housebound. Most appointments are either via phone, video or in a clinic setting.
Information for carers
Unfortunately not at this stage. Our working hours are Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 17:00, excluding bank holidays.
Yes, we can offer appointments through telephone or video consultations. However, clinician may decide if patient needs to be seen face to face.
Information for healthcare professionals
GPs and other health professionals can complete the attached referral forms (See below)
Also, you can also complete these referral's using the E-referral service if on SystmOne. The referral form can be sent via secured email to: DCHST.Respiratory@nhs.net
These vary; please speak to our team administrator who will have the most up to date information on the waiting times.
We are a planned care service so we are unable to respond to urgent referrals. We can however provide telephone advice.
Our Nursing team deals with nebuliser assessments. For home oxygen please contact the home oxygen team at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.
Routine spirometry should be provided within Primary Care. Spirometry may be undertaken if there is an identified clinical need e.g if diagnostic doubt
Home visits are prioritised for those who are housebound. Most of our appointments are either via phone, video or in a clinic setting. If patients unable to come to the clinics due to transport issues and if they meet transport criteria, we can arrange transport through EMAS.