Brian Whittle MSP did the running and heavy-lifting this week as they took part in an exercise class designed to help sufferers of chest conditions like COPD breathe better.
Brian joined a Pulmonary Rehabilitation session in the Scottish Parliament’s gym to support charity Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland’s “Right to Pulmonary Rehab” campaign to improve access to the life-changing exercise programme.
On the back of the campaign, all parties in the Scottish Parliament voted in April to address the gaps in community-based exercise initiatives like pulmonary rehab. The charity is now calling for a clear plan and a budget commitment to be included in the Scottish Government’s upcoming Respiratory Care Action Plan.
Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland estimates that 70,000 people in Scotland would benefit from Pulmonary Rehab, but there’s currently only capacity for less than 6,000 people [local breakdown of figures in notes].
The charity is calling for the Scottish Government to take urgent action to deliver a Right to Pulmonary Rehab, and in a report published in November 2018 it revealed that:
- The number of people being referred to Pulmonary Rehabilitation is very low, and ranges across Health Boards from just 2% to 21% of people who would benefit.
- There is a significant level of unmet need; the capacity of programmes ranges from just 2% to 17% of the people estimated to benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation.
- Waiting times range from four weeks to 29 weeks for an assessment, and then on average a further three weeks to begin Pulmonary Rehabilitation.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Pulmonary rehabilitation is life-changing for people with lung conditions like COPD. Everyone who needs it deserves access to this.
“Pulmonary rehabilitation prolongs lives and saves the NHS money by reducing hospital admissions – it is precisely the kind of service we should be offering more of in South Scotland.
“I am fully behind Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland’s campaign to make pulmonary rehab available to all who need it. There should be a universal and equal right to pulmonary rehab across the country.
“I will be writing to the Health Secretary to make sure that the Scottish Government makes such a commitment in its upcoming Respiratory Care Action Plan.”
Hazel Crombie from Galashiels was at the Parliamentary event. She was diagnosed with COPD in 2003. She is involved in the Gala Windbags group, supported by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland. She said:
“If it wasn’t for Pulmonary Rehab I would have been stuck at home. I got myself stuck in a rut and I had to get out.
“It’s made a huge difference to my life. It helped me deal with the condition and build my confidence. Everyone needs access to this kind of support.”
Dorothy Keith from Newtongrange was diagnosed with COPD in 2009. She says that Pulmonary Rehabilitation turned her life around:
“Pulmonary rehabilitation was the making of me basically, it really was. I was 6 years into having COPD before I was asked if I wanted to do this.
“I had to then wait another 18 months before I got into a class but it turned my life around, absolutely turned my life around.”
Jane-Claire Judson, Chief Executive Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, welcomed the fact that MSPs unanimously supported improving access to the Pulmonary Rehab, but called for that to move to action and funding to deliver equal and universal access. She said:
“Right now in Scotland over 60,000 people with chest conditions like COPD are missing out on the chance to breathe better and live life to the full.
“It was good to see MSPs unanimously vote to improve access to pulmonary rehab in April; we now need to see how that commitment will be followed through in practice by the Scottish Government – that means plans and budgets.
“We have produced clear ideas on how to deliver a universal Right to Pulmonary Rehab. These ideas need to be part of the Scottish Government’s Respiratory Care Action Plan.
“People with COPD in Scotland deserve the right to access Pulmonary Rehab. It’s a treatment that helps people with this incurable condition make more memories with those they love.
“Through investing in Pulmonary Rehab, we have an opportunity to tackle our poor record on lung health, reduce hospital admissions due to COPD and save the NHS money.”
