The community based Respiratory Service is part of the Waltham Forest planned care for adults and thus works closely with the Integrated Care Teams (district nurses, community matrons, ICT Therapists), other NELFT services and our local acute service, Barts Health NHS Trust.

We are a team of Specialist Healthcare Professionals who offer diagnosis, holistic treatment, care and self-management programs for Patients with respiratory conditions.

The aim of the service is to improve the health and well-being of patients with respiratory disease. We provide information, advice and support for patients and their carers, giving them the skills and confidence to manage their own respiratory condition and symptoms.

The team is nurse and therapy led.

The team comprises of Specialist Respiratory Nurses and Respiratory Physiotherapists and Support Staff.

The team is accessible for advice to other health care professionals regarding respiratory conditions. They actively encourage teams to contact them with any queries or if advice is required.

Diagnostic Spirometry Service

Diagnosis, management and care for patients in a community clinics or home setting. Diagnostic test is a breathing test that is conducted to aid with diagnosis and progression of condition. It provides important information how well your lungs are working.  It is a non invasive procedure.

Supported Discharge Service (SDS)

For patients with chronic respiratory conditions to enable them to self-manage their condition

The team provide an in-reach service into the acute hospital ensuring ongoing follow up is continued out into the community following discharge for a follow up at home for up to 4 weeks support.

Asthma/COPD Clinics

Support is provided for COPD and asthma patients to help manage their conditions, optimisation of medication and ensuring they have the correct diagnosis. 

Reviews of difficult to control asthma, preventing frequent GP attendance and A&E through education, support and asthma management plans.

Nebuliser Assessment

If you have been provided with a nebuliser compressor by NELFT, and you are experiencing a functional problems e.g. becomes faulty requires servicing/needs to be returned and also for yearly servicing or please contact:  Baywater – 0800 121 4524 or email: BHLTD.Nebuliser@nhs.net

If you are experiencing difficulties with how to use the nebulizer that has been provided by NELFT, please contact Single Point of Access on 0300 300 1710

Medication for the nebuliser is prescribed by the GP.

Respiratory Nursing Home Visits

Support to patients with chronic respiratory conditions

The team provides clinical input and advice to patients, regarding their treatment and management, ensuring optimisation of that treatment and improved understanding of their condition. We develop self-management plans with the patient with the aim of reducing the risk of exacerbation and to help to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions and readmissions.

For patients who are reaching the end of their life, we work in liaison with the palliative care team, EPIC team and DNs, ensuring choices, plans and preferred place of care are recorded and completed where appropriate.

Respiratory Physiotherapy

We offer specialist respiratory physiotherapy to patients with symptoms related to their lungs or chest

The assessments are holistic and one:one and normally take place in your own home.

For example:

• Pulmonary Rehab at Home (this is a maximum of 3 visit’s)
• Breathlessness management advice and strategies
• Management of Dysfunctional Breathing
• Chest Clearance optimisation
• Secretion management including setting up of Yankuear Suction if required

If you have been provided with a suction device by NELFT, and you are experiencing a functional problem with this suction e.g. it has become faulty, it requires servicing or you need to return the suction device, please contact:

Medequip UK Ltd.
Woodford Green Branch
Tel: 0208 709 7050
Email: woodford@medequip-uk.com

If you are experiencing difficulties with how you should use the suction device or require consumable parts (including  Yankeaurs / tubing or filters etc.) please contact your respiratory physio via Single Point of Access on 0300 300 1710

Polite reminder for Suction users:

• Yankeaur – To be changed weekly minimum, and washed through after every use and kept in packet to keep clean
• Filters – To be changed every 2 months
• Tubing – To be changed every 6 months

Oxygen Service

Oxygen assessments for long-term home oxygen and ambulatory oxygen, support for all patients using oxygen within the Waltham Forest borough.

Ambulatory oxygen assessments take place at The Jane Atkinson Health & Wellbeing Centre.  These are often completed in liaison with or jointly with the Pulmonary Rehab team. 

Long-term oxygen assessments tend to take place in the patient’s home.

Capillary blood gas tests to support sleep apnoea assessments are done at the Jane Atkinson Health & Wellbeing Centre.

All oxygen equipment is all supplied and serviced by Air Liquide.

Patients can contact the Air-liquid helpline for details. There is no cost for this service within the UK

• https://www.airliquidehomecare.co.uk/  Tel: 0808 143 9991
• Email: patientsupport@airliquidehomehealth.co.uk

Air Liquide (Homecare) Ltd
Alpha House
Wassage Way
Hampton Lovett
Droitwich
WR9 0NX

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary Rehabilitation is a multidisciplinary, evidenced based program of exercise and education for people with a long-term lung condition designed to reduce symptoms of breathlessness, improve

The exercise program is supervised, progressive and will be tailored for you, to allow you to take part and gain the benefits. The education sessions are designed to help you understand your condition and manage your symptoms to improve your quality of life.

It is a group session, twice weekly for approx. 2 hours with a minimum of 12 sessions.

This is an opportunity to network with your peers and learn from others who have similar health situations.

Completing a course of Pulmonary Rehabilitation is a good way to learn how to exercise safely and at the right level for you.

We are aware that sometimes people have other medical problems or more than one health issue that may limit what they are able to do; the exercises can be adapted to fit you personally.

Programs days, times, and current locations currently offered

You are required to attend 2 sessions a week for 6 weeks. You will also be invited in prior to starting the class for a pre-assessment to complete a full assessment and ensure you are safe to start exercising.

Chingford	Hawkwell Court Art Room 34 Colvin Gardens Chingford E4 6PF	Tuesday's 10-12 and Friday's 2-4
Walthamstow	Jane Atkinson Health & Wellbeing Centre First Floor – Group room 2 and 3 714 Forest Road Walthamstow E17 3HP	Tuesday’s and Thursday’s 2-4pm
Leytonstone	Langthorne Health Centre Seminar Room 13 Langthorne Road Leytonstone E11 4HX	Monday’s and Wednesday’s 2-4pm

Recommended links

British Lung Foundation

• https://www.blf.org.uk/
• Helpline: 03000 030 555

Asthma UK

• https://www.asthma.org.uk/ 
• Helpline: 0300 222 5800

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF)

Free service for people living with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), their family and carers.

• Contact Louise at ipfsupportservice@blf.org.uk or
• Call 0300 0030 555
• https://www.blf.org.uk/support-for-you/idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis-ipf/support

Action for Pulmonary Fibrosis

• https://www.actionpulmonaryfibrosis.org/ 
• Tel: 01543 442152
• Email: info@actionpulmonaryfibrosis.org
• For support group enquiries, please get in touch with our Support Group Co-ordinator Lorna McLauchlan, email: lorna@actionpulmonaryfibrosis.org or telephone 07914 426 269.

Asbestosis UK

• https://www.asbestosis.org.uk/
• Email: info@asbestosis.org.uk  
• Tel: 0800 833 099

Sarcoidosis UK

Our lines are normally open Monday to Friday, 10am to 6pm.

• Call us on: 020 3389 7221 or 0800 014 8821 (Freephone)
• Sarcoidosis UK, 49 Greek Street, London, W1D 4EG
• https://www.sarcoidosisuk.org/

Bronchiectasis

Living your life with Bronchiectasis website

• http://bronchiectasis.me/

Research studies

• https://bepartofresearch.nihr.ac.uk/

Clinical trials

• https://bioresource.nihr.ac.uk/volunteer/volunteers/
• https://trials.eu-ipff.org/
• https://www.joindementiaresearch.nihr.ac.uk/

Air Pollution Health Advice

• Remind signup : https://www.airtext.info/signup 
• For more information visit https://www.airtext.info/health or https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/?question=61

NHS 111

• https://111.nhs.uk/
• NHS 111 or 999

Check you inhaler technique

• https://www.rightbreathe.com/

Anxiety and depression

The local IAPT services are also there to listen. 

• http://wftalkingtherapies.co.uk/
• Phone to refer yourself for Talking Therapies 0300 555 1724.

Benefits

Age UK Advice

• https://www.ageuk.org.uk/walthamforest/
• Office opening times: Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 4:00pm Friday 9:30am to 2:00pm
• Address: Age UK Waltham Forest, Waltham Forest Resource Hub (North), 58 Hall Lane, Chingford, E4 8EU Phone: 020 8558 5512, Fax: 020 8558 0383,
• Email: info@ageukwalthamforest.org.uk
   
• Personal Independence Payment for under 65 years old - https://www.gov.uk/pip
• Attendance Allowance for over 65 years old - https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance
• Motability Scheme – https://www.motability.co.uk/
• Blue Badge – Helpline 0343 100 1000 https://www.gov.uk/blue-badge-scheme-information-council  
• Prescription costs - https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/get-help-with-prescription-costs/

Seek further advice regarding benefits from CAB, Age UK or the BLF.

Heating costs

• Winter Fuel Payments – Born on or before5 August 1953; www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/how-to-claim
• Warm Home Discount Scheme – Helpline 0345 603 9439
• HEET – London Borough Waltham Forest, free assessment for anyone with a lung condition living in WF, provides insulation, draft proofing and heating work, advice on saving energy, fuel bills and fuel debt Tel: 020 8 520 1900 https://www.theheetproject.org.uk/ or email  info@theheetproject.org.uk

Carers                  

• Waltham Forest Carers Association – Provide information, support and services for carers – available in local areas, or by telephone and on-line through there website.
• http://www.walthamforestcarers.com/
• Carers helpline: Mon-Fri 9-5 tel: 020 8 556 0857 / info@walthamforestcarers.com

Waltham Forest Stop Smoking Service

• Offers free confidential advice and support to those who wish to stop smoking.
• To speak to an advisor call 0333 005 0095.
• www.everyonehealth.co.uk/waltham-forest-council for further information.
• Email us walthamforest@everyonehealth.co.uk

For other information on smoking cessation you can look up:

• https://www.stopsmokinglondon.com/ - Smoking Helpline 0300 123 1044
• https://www.nhs.uk/smokefree/help-and-advice/support - You don't have to quit smoking alone. It's much easier to do it with the right information, advice and support.
• https://quitnow.smokefree.nhs.uk/ - Sign up for 28 days of free quitting advice and tips straight to your inbox to increase your chance of success!

The Lung Club

The Club is run by volunteers who work from home.

• Tel: Ronnie, 0208 989 5546 or Jan, 0208 558 3361
• Email: thelungclub@talktalk.net 

The Lung Club provides support for people with all lung conditions and their carers. They can also provide emergency equipment e.g. oxygen if required.

• When - Last Tuesday of every month with the exception of December, between 1pm-3:30pm
• Venue - Chandos Centre, Colegrave Road, Stratford, E15 1DZ
• Cost - People attending pay £2 on the day which entitles them to refreshments and a free raffle ticket.

Organ donation

• https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-your-decision/register-your-details/

Contact our Respiratory Service in Waltham Forest

Respiratory Team
Second Floor - Jane Atkinson Health & Wellbeing Centre
714 Forest Road
Walthamstow
E17 3HP
Tel: 0300 555 1268
Email: nem-tr.WalthamForestRespiratoryService@nhs.net

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Team

Hawkwell Court
34 Colvin Gardens 
Chingford 
E4 6PF
Tel: 0300 300 1710

Email: WFICTPulmonaryRehab@nelft.nhs.uk

Opening times: Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm (excluding bank holidays)

Please note we are not an emergency service, for emergencies please contact either 999, 111 or rapid response on 0300 300 1710 for further support.