Clinical academic physiotherapist Enya Daynes helped to draw up a Clinical Statement on Pulmonary Rehabilitation that was published last month week (28 September) by the British Thoracic Society (BTS).
Ms Daynes, who is based at the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, was one of 11 members of the British Thoracic Society Pulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist Advisory Group that drew up the statement.
At the launch of the statement, she said it would provide clinicians with ‘useful information’ on who should be referred for pulmonary rehabilitation, across respiratory diseases and prior to thoracic surgery, for example.
‘This has the potential to increase referrals, and improve access to gold standard, life improving treatment. Advances in adjuncts and alternative models for pulmonary rehabilitation may also enhance access and the benefits of this valuable treatment and reduce health inequalities for those living with respiratory diseases.’
Physiotherapist Sally Singh co-chaired the group
Fellow physiotherapist Sally Singh was one of two group chairs who oversaw the development of the statement. Dr Singh is a senior investigator with the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and the NIHR Leicester Biomedical Research Centre provided infrastructure support for the work.
The BTS said the statement represented a ‘snapshot of current knowledge and best practice in pulmonary rehabilitation’. It builds on a BTS Guideline for Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Adults, which was published in 2013, and covers recent developments in research and technology.
Will Man, from Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, co-chaired the group with Dr Singh. He said: ‘Since the BTS guidelines a decade ago, there have been exciting developments in pulmonary rehabilitation. We wanted to reflect this and describe what constitutes current best practice, informed by the available evidence and expert opinion.’
The statement includes sections dealing with developments in delivering home-based and remote care, and the use of new technology. The BTS’s aim is to spread awareness of the evidence-based, practical steps needed to deliver the highest quality pulmonary rehab care.
The following topics are particularly highlighted
- service access, referrals, and uptake
- high quality assessments and delivery of outcomes
- extending the scope of pulmonary rehabilitation
- alternative models of pulmonary rehabilitation
- adjuncts to and maintenance of pulmonary rehabilitation
‘Transformative treatment’ options
Jonathan Fuld, NHS England’s interim national clinical director of respiratory medicine, noted: ‘Defining the key elements of quality that underpin a successful pulmonary rehabilitation service is essential.
‘By providing this clinical statement, the BTS enables services to deliver this transformative treatment for patients in a way that is most likely to benefit patients.’
To download the statement or access it via an article in Thorax, click
