Bringing COPD care closer to home in Hastings

A new project is helping people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) get better care closer to home in Hastings.

COPD is a lung condition that can make it hard to breathe. Almost twice as many people in Hastings have COPD as the national average.

Health and care teams worked with people in their local neighbourhoods to improve COPD care for the town.

Support from GPs

One of the main goals was to give more support through local GP practices.

Practice staff got extra training and guidance on COPD. They invited over 400 people for a special COPD check-up to:

  • look at how they manage their COPD and their general wellbeing
  • get extra advice and help to find other support

Working with local charities

Local charities are also providing more help. This includes a new Breathe Easy support group for Hastings. The group:

  • helps people connect to others with lung conditions
  • gives advice on how to manage symptoms
  • has useful talks
  • has gentle exercise sessions

Breathe Easy and Bexhill Breathers also run exercise classes for people with lung problems. These teach special exercises to help improve breathing.

Another local charity, Seaview Project, put on a drop-in session for people with breathing difficulties who find it hard to visit a GP. At the drop in people are seen by respiratory health care staff. Seaview will run another drop in on 7 September at 10:30am to 1:30pm.

Joining up local healthcare

A key aim of the project was for healthcare staff to work more closely together. People who need the most help with their COPD now benefit from:

  • a team of doctors, nurses and lung specialists who meet regularly to discuss their care
  • getting expert advice more quickly from their GP, without needing to wait for a hospital appointment

Dr Lisa Sansom, GP Quality improvement Lead for Hastings and St Leonards Primary Care Network, said:

I am proud of the improvements to COPD care we are making for people in Hastings. Working together in this joined up way is making a real difference.

What is COPD?

COPD is the name for a group of lung conditions like emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Symptoms can include:

  • feeling short of breath 
  • a cough that does not go away 
  • frequent chest infections
  • wheezing

Many people may have COPD without knowing it.

The good news is that many cases can be prevented. In the UK, about 9 in 10 cases are linked to smoking. Stopping smoking is one of the best ways to:

  • lower your risk of COPD
  • stop COPD from getting worse

Get support

You can get free help to stop smoking from One You East Sussex.

Visit the One You East Sussex website or phone 01323 404 600.

If you have any respiratory condition, you can also join a Breathe Easy support group. Groups are in Hastings, Eastbourne and Lewes.

Visit the Breathe Easy website.