Quick links:
- What is Pulmonary Rehabilitation
- Who can I refer?
- Accessibility
- How to refer
- Current waiting times
- Clinic days and times
- Our team
- Contact the service
The Pulmonary Rehabilitation service is dedicated to delivering personalised care that empowers patients through education, exercise, and support while fostering self-management. We strive to create a compassionate, inclusive, and collaborative environment that promotes physical, emotional, and social well-being, ensuring that every patient can breathe easier and live life to the fullest.
The Pulmonary Rehabilitation service forms part of the wider Community Respiratory Physiotherapy Team.
What is Pulmonary Rehabilitation
Pulmonary Rehabilitation (PR) is an exercise and education programme designed for people with chronic lung disease. PR focuses on tailored physical exercise and information that helps people to better understand and manage their condition/s and symptoms, including feeling short of breath.
Our PR course lasts six weeks, with two sessions each week lasting 60-90 minutes. Our programme includes aerobic exercise such as walking and the stationary bike while our strength exercises use bodyweight or dumbbells. An education programme is also included within the course covering all aspects of self-management.
Our PR courses are delivered in groups of 8-16 people and are led by our Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapists alongside our Respiratory Therapy Assistants.
Evidence shows that accessing PR improves people’s ability to walk further, helps them feel less tired and breathless when carrying out day-to-day activities. PR has also been shown to support better self-management and reduction in exacerbations, reduction in numbers of acute and emergency admissions and reduction in primary care appointments. More information about PR can be found at Asthma + Lung UK* and NHS.UK*
*We are not responsible for the content on external websites and the inclusion of a link on this webpage is not an endorsement of that website, its content, or any product or service it may provide
Who can I refer?
You can refer any adult with a chronic respiratory disease who is functionally limited by their condition with a Doncaster GP. Please see our inclusion and exclusion criteria below.
Accessibility
We aim to ensure that our services are accessible to all patients and visitors. If English is not a patients first language, NHS interpreting and translating services can be provided. Please mark the appropriate section on the referral form, advising which language. If a patient has a hearing impairment, Nottinghamshire Deaf sign language and Royal Institute for the Deaf services are available. Mobile hearing loops are also available.
There is disabled access to both sites, with blue badge parking available and disabled bathrooms. Pay and display parking is available across the hospital sites. A free Park and Ride shuttle service operates for Doncaster Royal Infirmary. There is also a shuttle service between Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Mexborough Montagu Hospital. Further details are available on our website www.dbh.nhs.uk.
Hospital transport can be provided for patients meeting the criteria. If patients require any assistance in getting to the hospital, please mark as appropriate on the referral form.
How to refer
Referrals can be made by any healthcare professional (eg Consultant, GP, Nurse, Physiotherapist). If you require a copy of our referral form please email dbth.physioreferrals@nhs.net or contact us on 01709 649190. Please complete the form in full and email to dbth.physioreferrals@nhs.net. Please note incomplete referrals will be returned and this can delay care.
Please note we offer a rapid access programme for patients recently discharged from hospital following an exacerbation of their respiratory condition or for those experiencing three or more exacerbations per year. Please ensure this information is stated on the referral so that we may triage appropriately.
Inclusion Criteria
- Confirmed chronic respiratory diagnosis (excluding Asthma as a stand-alone diagnosis)
- Consider themselves to be functionally limited by the disease (MRC 3 or above)
- Medically stable and optimised medication (including stable BP)
- Discussion had with HCP regarding Pulmonary Rehabilitation and information leaflet provided with subsequent consent for referral, committed to undertake physical exercise for 6/52, twice a week
Exclusion Criteria
- Uncontrolled hypertension (BP>150/90) or a BP >130/90 with Aortic Stenosis, Aortic Aneurysm, IHD
- Uncontrolled arrhythmias, heart failure, angina
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) > 4.5cm, thoracic AAA >4cm
- Moderate to Severe Aortic Stenosis, MI in last 6 weeks
- Recent pulmonary embolus
- Cataract surgery 2/52
- Oxygen sats <92% at rest
- Cognitive impairment that means they are unable to follow instructions and/or physical limitations which mean they cannot perform a walking test and gym based exercise (i.e. cycling, step ups, bicep curls)
- Completed PR in the last 12/12 unless recent hospital admission with exacerbation
Current waiting times
We aim to see stable patients within 90 days of receipt of referral. More urgent patients including those following hospitalisation for an exacerbation of COPD or those pre or post lung surgery are seen within 30 days of receipt of referral. Please be aware that our waiting times can vary. For up to date information please contact dbth.physioreferrals@nhs.net.
Clinic days and times
Doncaster Royal Infirmary – Clinical Therapy Department
Tuesdays and Fridays, 1.30 – 4pm
Montagu Hospital – Physiotherapy Department
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1 – 3:30pm
Please see our webpage for further details of how to get to our sites including hospital maps; How to get here – Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals
Our team
Laura Lomas – Clinical Team Lead
Ameena Hussain – Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapist
Victoria Wright – Respiratory Therapy Assistant
Bethany Trout- Respiratory Therapy Assistant
Shannon Nettleton – Respiratory Therapy Assistant
Contact the service
If you have any queries, please email: dbth.physioreferrals@nhs.net and state ‘Pulmonary Rehab’ as the subject. We aim to respond within 48 hours.
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