Do you have a long-term breathing condition?
Following the success of a scheme working to improve patient care, the NHS is looking for more local volunteers to share their views.
If you have a condition like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, lung fibrosis or bronchiectasis then your local NHS would like to hear from you.
NHS Hammersmith and Fulham is keen to find local people from all parts of the community with a long term breathing condition who think their views and experience could be used to improve local health services.
Volunteers will form a user group and will be asked to give feedback about current services and plans for the future. Carers for people with breathing conditions are also welcome to join the group.
Dr David McCoy, NHS Hammersmith and Fulham Acting Director of Public Health, said: “We want to hear from as many people in the borough as possible who live with a long term breathing condition.
“Over 2,000 Hammersmith and Fulham residents have conditions like COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis and lung fibrosis.
“Joining the user group will give volunteers the opportunity to make improvements to the services they receive and for anyone who has a long term breathing condition in the future.”
The first meeting will take place in June and anyone interested in joining the group should get in touch by Monday 17 May.
A similar group was set up earlier in the year for people with diabetes and over 50 volunteers came forward to help. A group of 30 local people with diabetes is now helping the local NHS improve diabetes services of the future by looking at issues like the availability of information and the location of services.
If you are interested in joining the long term breathing conditions group please call Frances Neate on 020 3313 7231 or email frances.neate@hf-pct.nhs.uk .
May 7, 2010