The Breathe Programme

The Breathe programme is an 8 to 10 week rehabilitation programme for people in Liverpool who have long term lung conditions such as COPD, bronchiectasis, pulmonary fibrosis or asthma.

There are 2 community venues in Liverpool and also a hospital-based venue.

The Breathe Programme locations are listed within the venues section.

The Breathe programme can support you with tailored exercise sessions over 6 or 8 weeks with accompanying educational talks. These sessions will help to:

• improve your fitness
• increase your knowledge of your condition
• better manage your condition
• maintain a healthier lifestyle

The educational talks will cover the following topics:

1. Your Lung condition

2. How to manage your breathlessness

3. The importance of good nutrition

4. Benefits of exercise

5. Medication use and inhaler technique

6. Stress and anxiety management

7. How manage your breathing in different environments and weathers

8. How a variety of other services can be accessed to help you manage your condition

9. Community Respiratory Team

10. Smoke Free Liverpool Team

11. Liverpool Citizens Advice Team

Options available to you:

There are different options available based on your needs and preferences. You can choose from:

• Group exercise and education

• Group exercise only

• Group education only

• Home exercise (You must meet the criteria)

• Home education (You must meet the criteria)

We recommend attending the group face to face session for both education and exercise. This is the most beneficial form of Pulmonary Rehabilitation and helps you feels supported by staff and peers. If you cannot attend theses grouped sessions then we have a variety of options to suit your availability (you must meet the criteria) via:

• Telephone

• Remote support via Apps

• Rehab Guru

Who we are and what we do?

The programme is delivered by a team that consists of Physiotherapists, Exercise Physiologists, Respiratory Practitioners, Technical Instructors, Therapy Assistants, and Administrators from the Therapies Department of the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, as well as guest speakers from a variety of services.

Your first session will involve an assessment of your current health and activity levels. We will discuss your individual needs and plan how we can help you to meet your goals.

Where and when are the classes?

How do I get referred to The Breathe Programme?

There are a number of ways to access the programme. One step is to ask your GP to be referred to your local breathe programme. You can also ask a health professionals for example your physiotherapist, practice nurse, pharmacist, respiratory nurse or consultant.

The Referral Process (Healthcare Professionals only)

To refer a patient onto the programme please fully complete the Breathe Programme referral form and return by post, fax or email on the same day the patient is seen in the practice or clinic.

Email: breathe.lhch@nhs.net  

Post: Pulmonary Rehabilitation, LHCH Therapies Department, Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital, Thomas Drive, Liverpool L14 3PE.

Please note that incomplete referrals will be returned to the referrer.

Download a Referral Form

If you would like to know more about the programme, you could also arrange a shadowing session so you can experience the classes, and the benefits patients are seeing on a day-to-day basis.

In summary, what should you expect from the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme?

• Structured and thorough assessments

• Individualised programme / advice and exercises

• Twice weekly classes or weekly telephone calls

• Onward referrals to appropriate services

• Knowledgeable practitioners who can provide information to help your condition

• Educational materials to support your learning (paper, electronic)

• Supportive and encouraging environment
   

What should you expect from the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Staff?

• Specialist knowledge to be shared

• Be patient and understanding

• Some support with my condition 

• Open communication

• Continuity of staff where possible

• Approachable and professional

• Appropriate language (lay terminology)

• Honesty (e.g. regarding waiting lists)

• To work well as a team

What does the programme expect from you and other patients?

• Adding to a positive social environment

• Mutual respect

• Good attendance

• Inform team if unable to attend

• Punctual to classes

• To share own experiences (if consenting to do so)

• Willingness to learn

• Well organised (bring inhalers and HEP etc)
  
   

Other useful services

• Breathe Programme website - Supports you with the programme

• Breathing Point - Cheshire and Merseyside’s information point for patients with chest conditions

• Asthma + Lung UK - Supporting patients with lung conditions throughout the country

• Liverpool Community Respiratory Team - Aiming to provide safe, effective, and adaptive care to patients with acute exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• Smokefree Liverpool - Liverpool’s Smoking Cessation Service

• Citizens Advice Liverpool - Citizens Advice supports you in a number of ways from legal to benefits advice and welfare support