Colin Brown suffered from chronic lung disease, but is now on the way to being cured thanks to a new initiative. Picture: Ian Burt
Downham Market man with lung problem helped by new exercise and education programme in West Norfolk
Chris Bishop
Friday, February 10, 2012
10:35 AM
More than 150 West Norfolk people suffering chronic lung disease in have been helped by a new campaign to promote exercise and understanding about the complaint.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) causes coughing, breathlessness and increased risk of chest infection.
At the end of 2010, West Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group set up a programme to help people suffering from breathlessness.
By combining exercise with educational sessions, health workers hope to help patients to manage their condition and reduce breathlessness.
It is provided by BOC Healthcare, who have worked closely with local GPs and NHS Norfolk and Waveney to develop the service.
The team includes a physiotherapist, a COPD nurse and a technical instructor. Classes are held in leisure centres and village halls in King’s Lynn, Downham Market, Swaffham and Hunstanton.
More than 150 patients have already been referred to the six-week programme and results show that their stamina as well as their quality of life has improved together with a reduction in their breathlessness.
As one patient’s wife wrote in a thank you card to the team: “Thank you very much for the pulmonary rehabilitation work you have done with my husband. Not only has he found, after many years, that walking can be pleasant, but he coughs less and is much more cheerful.”
Sue Crossman, interim chief executive of the West Norfolk Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “There is evidence that an active course of pulmonary rehabilitation can have a very positive impact on levels of breathlessness and quality of life for patients with chronic respiratory disease. We are delighted that patients in West Norfolk are now benefiting from this service as part of our respiratory care strategy.”
New patients are welcome any time to the programme and “open mornings” are organised for patients who want to know a little more before deciding to join.
Retired lorry driver Colin Brown, 64, of Downham Market, has suffered from asthma all his life and was diagnosed with COPD about a year ago.
After taking part in the pulmonary rehabilitation programme, he has been able to reduce his medication.
“I was doing the exercises from the programme on a regular basis, and I still do,” said Mr Brown.
“You have to be motivated enough to continue the exercises at home. I have an exercise bike in the garage and my daughter has a treadmill which I also use.
“I also walk into town which is a 45-minute round trip. I feel a lot better about myself.
“One of the benefits was thinking that I would be going to the programme every week. I was looking forward to it.
“I would definitely recommend it. I feel a lot better as a result.”
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6 comments
Dear Aliasone, I've had a look at the Isle of Man incinerator as you suggested. It does look very pretty. I see it is a much smaller operation, burning 60,000 tons of municipal waste per year (as opposed to the 268,000 tons of municipal and commercial waste to be burned in King's Lynn each year. It also appears to be on the leeward side of the island, so most of the emissions presumably go directly over the sea. Not ideal as the toxins will still be absorbed into the sea life, but (in human health terms) better than pumping it directly over the population as they propose here in King's Lynn. I have been unable to locate any epidemiological studies on the health impact of this facility, though as there is no legal requirement for such a survey, and as the effects could take many years to become evident, this is hardly surprising. (All the other studies that have been done, though they are relatively few in number, indicate that there are substantial health issues for populations who live downwind of such facilities - especially lung problems, which I feel is relevant to this article). I shall continue to look for more informaton on this, but I wanted to post a reply to you before this article fades into history.
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Barking
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
dear barking the people on the isle of man where having the same arguments some years ago but they still built their incinerator, now they can deal with all burnable waste that is produced daily, have a look at i.o.m. web it will open your eyes
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aliasone
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
dear barking the people on the isle of man where having the same arguments some years ago but they still built their incinerator, now they can deal with all burnable waste that is produced daily, have a look at i.o.m. web it will open your eyes
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aliasone
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Dear Schnauzer, pumping over 500 tons of material into the atmosphere over King's Lynn every day for 25 years is not better than landfill. (Waste doesn't cease to exist when you burn it - it's just less visible. The 'energy from waste' is a by product of a chemical reaction. Mass is only lost in a nuclear reactor) Anyway, it is not a question of landfill or skyfill - there are better less harmful (and cheaper) alternatives. Have a look at 'farmerscampaign.org'.
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Barking
Monday, February 13, 2012
I'm as concerned as the next man about health issues but surely incinerating waste is far better than the current option of landfill. Once incinerated, waste would be turned into heat, gas or steam. In turn these could heat local schoolshospitals. Surely it's better than the current situation of burying nappies (as an example) and toxins slowly being released into the environmentwater table. I say lets be brave and follow the example of Japan, Germany, and Denmark who use this technology.
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Schnauzer
Saturday, February 11, 2012
If they ever build the incinerator there is likely to be a lot more people with respiratory problems in West Norfolk. It certainly won't help those with an existing condition either. I applaud this project, and I hope it continues to improve the quality of life of those who need it, but feel I should make the point that 'prevention is better than cure'. Could I ask everyone who is concerned about the health of our population to send in objections to the incinerator plans? Details on how to do this are on 'farmerscampaign.org'.
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Barking
Saturday, February 11, 2012