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The Integrated Community Respiratory Service (ICRS) provides advice and support for adults with a long-term lung condition and all those on home oxygen therapy, who are registered with a GP in East and North Hertfordshire. The service operates from 9 am until 5pm on a Monday to Friday. The service does not operate on bank holidays or at the weekend. The Respiratory service iconsists of highly trained professionals who offer advice and support to patients in the region living with a range of respiratory disorders such as:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Asthma
- Bronchiectasis
- Interstitial lung disease
As part of the specialist respiratory service we offer a fully comprehensive home oxygen assessment and review service for all patients in need of oxygen therapy and ‘educational’ sessions for those newly diagnosed with COPD or those who need of education and support to help manage their condition.
The service aims to encompass all aspects of respiratory care. This can involve ensuring correct diagnosis, monitoring and optimisation of pharmacological treatments, education and support, and timely referral into the pulmonary rehabilitation programme.
The service aims to support and educate not only the patient but also their carers; ensuring that patients are given the skills to enable them to ‘self -manage’ their condition thus improving quality of life for the patient. The service has links with the local breathe easy groups and will often be involved in lung health awareness days.
The home oxygen assessment and review service monitors patients that are prescribed oxygen within East and North Herts and ensures that patients are regularly reviewed – which evidence shows prolongs life, enhances their quality of life and helps them to live as independently as they can, for as long as they can.
Contact the service
East and North Hertfordshire
Tel: 01462 427125
Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm
- Reception hours: Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm
- Reception phone number: 01462 427125
- How the service is provided
- Who is eligible for the service
- What will happen at your appointment
- Useful information
- Making a referral
- Patient experience
How the service is provided
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Most assessment and follow up visits are performed in your own home.
The service aims to encompass all aspects of respiratory care. This can involve making sure you have the correct diagnosis and monitoring of your condition and ensuring that you are confident in taking your respiratory medications and inhalers. We will provide you with support and tools to help you self-manage your condition. We will refer onto other services with your permission that we feel may be of benefit to you. We can also provide support and education to your family and carers.
Our main aim is to give you the necessary support and education to allow you to confidently self-mange your lung condition and for you to be as independent as possible.
If you are on home oxygen, we will continue to support you until the home oxygen is removed. We will continue to review you as per current guidance and the clinician will explain this to you.
Unless you are on home oxygen, at some point and in discussion with you, we will discharge you from our service, but in most instances, you can self-refer at any point in the future.
Who is eligible for the service
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The service provides support to adult patients registered with a GP in the East and North Hertfordshire locality that have already been diagnosed with a long-term lung condition. The range of lung conditions we look after are.
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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
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Asthma
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Bronchiectasis
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Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) Pulmonary Fibrosis
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The service supports all adult patients on home oxygen therapy regardless of their condition.
What will happen at your appointment
For each of the services there is a different approach.
Generally after a full and thorough assessment you will be provided with an individualised package of advice and treatment tailored to your specific needs.
When we receive your referral into the service, we will attempt to contact you within 24 hours of receiving this referral, during our operating hours. You will be contacted by telephone by one of our specialist clinicians to gain an understanding of the referral and your individual needs.
Once contacted we will aim to see you within two weeks.
Most of our appointments are performed in your own home, however we may ask you to come to a clinic to see us. This will be explained to you over the telephone.
Generally, our appointments are allocated the day before, so you can expect to be contacted by telephone with our appointment availability the day before, where an approximate time will be made with your agreement.
If you feel you need an appointment in advance just indicate this to us and we will send an appointment with a time and date in the post.
If you wish somebody to be with you at the appointment, this is not a problem.
When you have your first appointment, please expect it to be at least 90 mins long.
Useful information
To contact us telephone 01462 427125
Hours of operation Monday – Friday, 9am-5pm
We have an answer phone so please leave a message and do not forget to leave your name and date of birth.
If you have never been seen by the ICRS service before then you will need to speak to your GP or the health care professional responsible for your care for them to make a referral.
If you have been seen by our service before or you are a health care professional with a question or query, then please do not hesitate to contact us on 01462 427125.
Websites
British Lung Foundation
www.lunguk.org
British Thoracic Society
www.brit-thoracic.org.uk
Global Initiative for Asthma
www.ginasthma.org
Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease
www.goldcopd.org
Asthma UK
www.asthma.org.uk
Leaflets
General
- Forced Expiration Technique (or huffing) leaflet
- ICRS introduction leaflet
- Urinary incontinence and COPD in men
- Urinary incontinence and COPD in women
- Lung conditions and emotional wellbeing
- Cough suppression for a dry cough
- Thinking of flying leaflet
- Top Tips for keeping well in winter for people with respiratory conditions
- Top tips for Summer
- ICRS Pneumonia leaflet
- How to manage your energy levels - RCOT
Breathlessness
Bronchiectasis
- The Active Cycle of Breathing Technique
- Azithromycin leaflet
- Bronchiectasis self-management plan
- Ciprofloxacin patient leaflet
- Bronchiectaisis patient introduction leaflet
- Sputum leaflet
Home oxygen
- Ambulatory Oxygen patient leaflet
- Oxygen Alert card
- Low paraffin emoillents
- Long Term Oxygen Therapy patient leaflet
- Pulse Oximetry leaflet
Inhalers
- Accuhaler
- Autohaler
- Easi-Breathe
- HandiHaler
- Inhaler with a spacer
- Instructions for use of a nebuliser
- Pressurised Metered Dose Inhalers
- How to dispose of unwanted and unused inhalers
- Respimat
- Turbohaler
Self management
Making a referral
All new patients need to be referred to the service by a healthcare professional.
We do not take self-referrals for new patients.
If you have been seen by us before (it does not matter how long ago) and you are having continued problems with your lung condition, then you can contact us on 01462 427125 and a clinician will ring you back on the same day within our operating hours.
If you are a health care professional, you can refer to us in a variety of ways.
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All GP Surgery referrals need to submit a completed ICRS referral form via ERS
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Electronically through SystmOne
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A completed referral form to our email address.
If you have any questions ring us on 01462 427125
To refer a patient to the service, please use the referral form below plus a patient summary or relevant discharge letter.
Email: hct.communityrespiratory@nhs.net
ICRS-Referral-form-2024. or view this in a accessible format
Patient experience
If you would like to share your story, please contact the Patient Experience team on 01707 388036 or email hct.patientexperienceteam@nhs.net
We would also love to hear about your experience on our respiratory service - please complete a survey by clicking here.
We periodically ask our patients to complete a satisfaction survey, this is usually at the end of a period of care.
We welcome your comments at any time and out satisfaction survey can be accessed electronically using the QR code below.:
If you would like to speak to the manager of the service to highlight any comments and concerns, then please ring 01462 427125 and ask to speak to Spencer Langham.
