Respiratory Specialist Services

The respiratory nursing team provides specialist nursing support at home and in clinics to patients with long-term respiratory conditions. 

The team sees patients with respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Pulmonary Fibrosis, Bronchiectasis and Asthma as well as those on long-term oxygen therapy. They aim to improve quality of life by helping patients to self-manage their conditions to prevent or lessen the effect of acute attacks and to avoid the need for admission to hospital.

If you have been discharged from hospital, the team will help you to return to your previous level of independence by providing nursing support, either in your home or at a clinic.

If you are having oxygen therapy, the team will monitor your health to ensure that you are benefiting from it. They will do this through regular physical assessments and measuring your blood gases.

Once you have been referred, a member of the team will contact you to arrange an appointment to visit you at home or to see you in one of our nurse-led clinics.

At your first appointment, the nurse will discuss your current respiratory symptoms, take a history of your respiratory health and assess your condition. During this assessment we are likely to check your blood pressure, pulse, measure your lung function and record your oxygen levels.

We will discuss your treatment options with you and give you advice on how best to manage your condition. If you have a repeat prescription or a list of medication please have this handy.

Who will I see?

A respiratory nurse

Accessing this service 

You can be referred to this service by your GP, practice nurse, the hospital discharge team, social care or other clinical services.

To make a referral, please contact the Referral Management Centre (RMC), which is open Monday to Friday 8am - 6pm (excluding bank holidays):

Email: esth.sdhcreferrals@nhs.net
Tel: 020 8296 4488