Minutes:
The meeting received a presentation on the establishment of the Barnsley Respiratory Assessment and Therapy Service (BREATHE) seeking to address issues relating to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other respiratory illnesses, incidence of which were considerably higher in Barnsley compared to the national rate. The meeting noted the development of a model that provided support in the patient’s home, rather than in hospital, and could support clinics based in the locality/GP’s surgeries, so significantly reducing the amount of travelling time for patients and their carers.
The meeting noted that smoking was a significant factor in incidence of COPD in Barnsley and directing patients to smoking cessation services would be a key element to the programme. The meeting noted the significant burden which fell on carers for those suffering from respiratory disease and the extent to which, sometimes, the time that patients spent in hospital became respite for the carers. There was a need for the service to ensure that a social care assessment was undertaken, including for the carers, so that these issues could be properly addressed.
RESOLVED that the development of the Barnsley Respiratory Assessment and Therapy Service be welcomed.