COPD

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive and disabling condition that limits airflow in the lungs and is leading cause of potentially preventable hospitalisations in the Nepean Blue Mountains region. 

1 in 20 Australians aged 45 years and over are living with COPD. Early diagnosis and optimal management during early stages can lead to better quality of life, decreased disease progression and mortality, and reduced hospital admissions.

COPD Clinical Care Standard

The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Clinical Care Standard, released by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (October 2024), provides guidance on best practice for managing COPD. This standard supports the goal of reducing preventable hospitalisations and improving quality of life for people with COPD by enhancing symptom management and considering palliative care needs.

For more information and to access the full standard, visit the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.

We coordinate or commission the following local services to support COPD management:

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service in the Hawkesbury (CALM)

Through Hawkesbury District Health Service, we co-designed and fund the new Chronic Airways Limitation Management (CALM) pulmonary rehabilitation program. CALM is designed for anyone with a lung disease who has difficulty breathing and finds day-to-day activities getting harder, it is provided by a physiotherapist, specialist nurse and an assistant within Hawkesbury Community Health Services. CALM is an eight week program which builds patient fitness and provides ongoing education on symptom management.

GPs or respiratory specialist can refer patients to this program. For more information about the program, contact physiotherapist Jacqualine Faehringer on 4560 5684.

Lungs in Action Exercise Class

We fund the Lungs in Action Exercise Group in the Hawkesbury, which is a safe exercise class for people with stable chronic lung conditions. The group meets on Tuesday and Thursday morning from 11:30am - 12:30am at Fun Fast Fitness in South Windsor. Classes are suitable for people using supplemental oxygen and/or walking frames. There are seated options for every exercise.

The classes are run by a trainer who specialises in exercising people with lung disease and heart failure. Contact Rebecca on 0404 871 484. 

NBMLHD Respiratory Outreach Service

The NBMLHD Integrated Care Respiratory Service is a initiative designed to assist and enhance the care provided to patients living with COPD. The service includes a multidisciplinary respiratory team with a respiratory physician, advanced trainee, clinical nurse consultant, social worker and physiotherapist available to support GPs. The service is initiated for patients through discharge from hospital and direct referrals from GPs.

The Integrated Respiratory Care Service can be contacted on 0436 305 252.