Respiratory

Ward 233 is located on Floor 3 of the Main Building.

The department of respiratory medicine has eight consultant physicians and over 14 clinical nurse specialists with a wide range of interests. It is one of the largest departments of its kind in the country. It is a centre for sleep medicine, non-invasive ventilation, cystic fibrosis, interstitial lung disease and lung cancer. The respiratory physiology laboratory provides one of the most comprehensive services within the West Midlands.


Asthma

The asthma team provides specialist services for patients with asthma as both inpatients and outpatients. All patients admitted to a ward with an exacerbation of their asthma can be followed up at either a consultant or a nurse-led clinic. There is one consultant led and two nurse led asthma clinics each week. There is a monthly joint asthma ante natal clinic with the obstetrician.

The asthma team is:

The COPD service comprises the Supported Early Discharge Service (SED) and a weekly clinical nurse specialist out-patient service. The SED service helps to plan the patient’s discharge from hospital and may include home visits to review the patient’s progress.

The COPD team is:

Cystic Fibrosis (CF)

The North West Midlands CF centre provides an in-patient and out-patient service. There is a weekly outpatient clinic and all CF patients have an annual review. Because of the complex nature of cystic fibrosis, care for CF patients is provided by specialist staff from a range of different disciplines including physiotherapy, dietetics, clinical psychology and radiology.

The CF Co-Ordinator is Erin Stones 01782 675015

 To learn more about University Hospital's cystic fibrosis service and what support is available, click here.


Same Day/Next Day service

The Respiratory Easy Access Service was pioneered in October 2007. This innovative consultant led service provides an easy access for diagnosis and specialist advice on unwell patients in primary care with a respiratory problem, who otherwise require referral to the emergency department, providing an alternative to hospital admission / readmission. Following referral from general practitioner, community matron, respiratory physiologists, intermediate care and physiotherapists there is a telephone consultation followed up if necessary in a dedicated clinic where imaging and pulmonary function is available.

Contact: 01782 552331 or 01782 553055.


Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD)

The ILD service provides a tertiary referral service that is led by Professor Monica Spiteri. There is a weekly ILD clinic. At the clinic, patients undergo comprehensive investigations. All the results will be reviewed and patients will be assessed by Professor Monica Spiteri and followed with a clear management plan. Where necessary patients are booked in to clinic based treatment which includes intravenous therapy and oxygen with close monitoring as necessary. This service is also supported by a multidisciplinary infrastructure with (1) regular case diagnostic meetings involving Prof Spiteri, the radiologists and histopathologist, and (2) community palliative care nurse specialists to support patients/carers in terminal stages of their illness.

Contact: 01782 553024 (Mandy Tilsley, Professor Spiteri’s secretary)


Lung Cancer

The lung cancer service has up to 350 cases of lung cancer every year. All patients are discussed at the weekly lung cancer multidisciplinary team (MDT), which includes dedicated thoracic nurse specialists, radiologist, histopathologists, oncologists, surgeons and palliative care input. The service is led by Dr Hussain. There are specialist cancer clinics that are run twice a week to fast-track requests from general practitioners who suspect a lung cancer. The majority of patients will have their investigations already arranged at their first visit. We are one of two surgical centres that serve the Greater Midlands Cancer network, of which Dr I Hussain is lead.

Contact: 01782-553194 (Alison Bain, lung cancer specialist nurse)


Non-Invasive Ventilation (NIV)

Non-Invasive Ventilation for inpatients with severe respiratory problems is provided in a specialist six-bedded unit on a respiratory ward. The team also provides ventilatory support for over 400 adult patients at home, including several who receive 24 hour support via mask or tracheostomy. There are two consultant-led and two nurse led clinics each week for patients with neuro muscular disorders and ventilation requirements.

Joyce Dunsadle - Daly is the Sleep Co-Ordinator she can be contacted on 01782 552324

 For general queries contact the Helpline on 01782 553663 or 01782 715444 bleep 225
(Monday - Friday 9-5)  For out of hours NIV queries contact 01782 676222 


Oxygen Service

Oxygen service The oxygen therapy service provides a wide range of ward based and out-patient advice for patients with stable, unstable, acute or chronic lung disease, including those who are both clinically stable and those with progressive problems and palliative care. The service provides a holistic patient-centred approach through expert nursing advice, education and support to both patients and carers.

The service is led by Isabelle Babin-Cooper, clinical nurse specialist, supported by Dr Martin Allen, consultant.

Contact: 01782 553245


Respiratory interventional service

The respiratory interventional service comprises bronchoscopy, pleural procedures, nebulised therapy assessment and treatment.  The bronchoscopy service includes bronchial washing, bronchial alveolar lavage, transbronchial and transcarinal biopsy. There are 4 bronchoscopy out-patient lists per week. The procedure is performed at a dedicated suite with a 3 bedded recovery area.  There is a weekly list for pleural biopsy and aspiration in a dedicated suite with provision of ultrasound.  There is a nurse led service on nebulised therapy assessment and treatment.

Contact: 01782 552325


Respiratory Medicine Research

Under the leadership of Professor Monica Spiteri, the department of respiratory medicine is actively engaged in research. The aims of the lung research programme are:

• to create cutting edge research that addresses local community needs and builds on local clinical and academic expertise

• to deliver research projects with a clear patient benefit in the area of respiratory disease diagnosis, intervention and/or general care

• to maximise intellectual property capability and research revenue within University Hospital and the wider economy.

   

The current research projects are:

• the development of Point-of-Care Sputum Diagnostics for COPD patients

• the development of Novel Intra-operative Imaging and Therapeutics for Lung Cancer

• the development of Novel Treatments, including Stem Cell Transplants for Pulmonary Fibrosis.

   

Contact: 01782 553024


Respiratory Physiology

The respiratory physiology laboratory provides a wide range of investigations for airway and lung parenchymal disease. Pulmonary function tests are a group of breathing exercises that measure the function of the lungs, revealing problems in the way a patient breathes.

These investigations can determine the cause of shortness of breath and can help a doctor diagnose a range of respiratory diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, etc. The investigations can be used to monitor treatment response, to assess severity and progress of lung disease, to determine suitability for surgery and to predict recovery time from surgery.

Contact: 01782 552327


Sleep

The sleep service has been offered since 1976 and is currently headed by Dr Allen. The team offers a complete diagnostic service for sleep problems. Four technical staff undertake a wide range of investigations from simple home studies to complex hospital based recordings of brainwave activity where technicians are present throughout the night. These investigative facilities allow us to manage all aspects of sleep problems such as sleep disordered breathing / sleep apnoea, other causes of excessive daytime sleepiness e.g. narcolepsy, phase shift, insomnia and unusual events that occur in the night such as sleep movements and sleep talking. There are 4 dedicated sleep clinics per week supported by technical and administrative staff. A 24 hour helpline is available to ensure continuity of care.

Contact

Joyce Dunsadle-Daly (Sleep Co-Ordinator) 01782 552324

Tuberculosis (TB)

University Hospital of North Staffordshire's Tuberculosis clinic is set to move to the Cobridge Community Health Centre. The Tuberculosis (TB) clinics, which are currently held at the West Building at the City General site, will move on Tuesday 1 November. The move is part of the Fit for the Future Transformation programme, where clinics move into the community and closer to people’s homes.

Mandy Middleton, TB clinical nurse specialist, said: "The TB service assesses patients with suspected TB infection, initiates anti-TB treatment, monitors the treatment and provides a TB screening programme for high risk individuals. We have about 40-50 TB cases a year in North Staffordshire but our service, providing specialist healthcare in the community, sees over 3,000 patients per year. We will have two consultant led clinics and five nurse led clinics per week at Cobridge Community Health Centre.

"The service will still be operated by the same University Hospital staff currently providing high standards of care. The real advantage is getting these patients seen out in the community at a location that is more convenient to them. TB is not a reason to be admitted to hospital so there is no real reason why the service should be located at University Hospital."

Cobridge Community Health Centre, which opens on Monday 31 October 2011, is a new 14 million pound development. It will include a Primary Care Centre and a purpose built Sexual Health Unit. The facilities will include an on-site pharmacy, chest clinic and x-ray department that will support GP referred X-ray requests and on-site Outpatient clinics.  

Consultant Profiles

 To view Respiratory Consultant Profiles, please click here.