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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: exercise and rehabilitation
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    S30 PROVISION OF PULMONARY REHABILITATION IN THE UK: RESULTS FROM THE NATIONAL CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE AUDIT 2008

    1P Mallia, 1A Patel, 1R Kaiser, 2RA Stone, 2R Buckingham, 1CMR Roberts. 1Whipp’s Cross University Hospital, London, UK, 2Clinical Effectiveness and Evaluation Unit, Royal College of Physicians, London, UK

    Background: Pulmonary rehabilitation has been established as an important therapy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. However, not all patients who may benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation have access to it. We examined the availability of pulmonary rehabilitation and the standards of care for patients in respiratory medicine departments in the UK.

    Methods: As part of the national COPD audit 2008 we surveyed 239 units in the UK using an online questionnaire to assess access to pulmonary rehabilitation and assess the standard of pulmonary rehabilitation programmes that exist.

    Results: In 58% of units all eligible patients had access to pulmonary rehabilitation, in 32% of units only some patients were offered pulmonary rehabilitation and in 10% of units there was no access at all. In a similar survey undertaken in 2003, 64% of units had a formal pulmonary rehabilitation programme. The majority of programmes are funded by primary care organisations (43%), with 24% hospital funded, 18% joint funded and 14% not funded at all. We examined a number of standards for the pulmonary rehabilitation programmes offered. Staffing: the majority of programmes were delivered fully by a multidisciplinary team (71%) and 68% had a designated lead clinician and coordinator. However, only 41% of programmes had staff supervising the exercise component fully trained in advanced life support (ALS). Content of programmes: 63% had written inclusion and exclusion criteria for patients and 62% measured spirometry, exercise and health status before and after rehabilitation. The majority of programmes (79%) lasted a minimum of 6 weeks; however, only 30% had a continuation phase. The majority of programmes included education …

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