FUNDING to provide more care for Barrow people suffering from severe respiratory conditions has been secured.

Around £1million has been invested into the Morecambe Bay Respiratory Network (MBRN) to help patients suffering from conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis, interstitial lung disease and asthma.

In the Barrow area and across Morecambe Bay there are 7,696 people registered with COPD and 23,657 with asthma.

The money invested by Bay Health and Care Partners (BH&CP) Leadership Team will be invested in the community to help expand the pulmonary rehabilitation service, which offers exercise and education for people with long-term lung conditions. Expanding the service also means that patients will be referred to the service quicker.

There will also be an investment into multidisciplinary teams in the community, with the addition of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nurses, who will help to: improve diagnosis and support in-house patient clinics.

Tim Gatheral, Consultant for the Trust, said: “We have plans to recruit up 30 WTE new members of staff to join the team over the coming years, to build on the incredible people already in post.”

The respiratory network is focused on ensuring primary care staff have adequate resources and up-to-date training and education in respiratory care to ensure the best possible care and service for patients.

Training sessions include a series of ‘Respiratory Updates’ in 2019. These updates are intended as a learning and practice sharing opportunity for any staff member who manages patients with respiratory disease.