Families reaping benefits of new NHS community children’s service

A new service to treat respiratory problems in children with complex physical disabilities at home was launched in February 2019, by Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS).

The Children’s Rapid Response Respiratory Service provides specialist assessment, treatment and management of children with complex physical disabilities with additional respiratory problems in the community.

There are preventative and rapid response aspects of this service. The preventative measures involve specialist respiratory physiotherapy assessment, preventative daily chest management plans and training for families, carers and school staff in chest physiotherapy management strategies to help keep the children healthier.

There is also a rapid response service for these children when they have a chest infection, which involves home chest physiotherapy assessment and treatment, links with GPs to ensure prompt provision of appropriate medication and teaching parents and carers how to best manage the child’s condition, to help prevent a hospital admission.

Katie Clements, Children’s Physiotherapy Professional Advisor at LCHS said: “This is still a new service however; we are already seeing improvements in the quality of care we can offer these children and their families, and reductions in the demand on GPs, A&E departments and hospital admissions.

“We are also receiving excellent feedback from parents who say they are benefiting from this new service, as they are better able to manage their child’s condition and they really value the care at home.”

The service was initiated due to an increasing number of severely disabled children having frequent and prolonged hospital admissions for respiratory tract infections. Once in hospital their discharge was often delayed by the need for chest physiotherapy to aid secretion clearance after an acute illness.

Tina Bramley, Head of Clinical Services for Allied Health Professionals at LCHS said: “Our role is to bring great care, closer to home and this is exactly what this service does. It is also helping improve the quality of life for these families.”

The service is countywide and available Monday to Friday for all children aged 0-19 years of age with complex physical disabilities.

To refer to the Children’s Rapid Response Respiratory Service call 01522 309025 or email RapidResponse@lincs-chs.nhs.uk.

Please see the video on this new service please click here.