Pulmonary rehabilitation is a programme of exercise and education prescribed for people with long-term lung conditions. Evidence shows that gentle, supervised exercise can improve symptoms and quality of life for people who experience breathlessness.
On this page
- Services we provide
- Benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation
- Contact the pulmonary rehabilitation team
- Who pulmonary rehabilitation is not suitable for
- Patient information and support
Services we provide
Pulmonary rehabilitation is a self-management programme for people with lung conditions who experience breathlessness in daily life and want to improve their health and wellbeing.
The programme helps you manage your condition by teaching practical ways to control breathlessness and by supporting you to build strength and stamina. This can help improve your confidence and quality of life.
The programme runs for six weeks and includes graded exercise and education sessions. You will attend group sessions at a location that suits you. You will need to attend two sessions a week for the full six weeks.
The exercises can be done sitting or standing, depending on your ability. They can also be adapted if you have joint problems or difficulties with balance. Your exercise programme will be tailored to meet your individual needs.
Benefits of pulmonary rehabilitation
- Increased exercise tolerance and functional ability
- Increased strength and endurance
- Reduced breathlessness on exertion
- Becoming less fearful of breathlessness
- Improved coping and self-management strategies
- Reduced levels of anxiety and depression
- Improved knowledge and understanding of lung disease
- Reduced frequency of exacerbations of lung conditions
- Reduced reliance on GP’s and hospital admissions
Contact the pulmonary rehabilitation team
You can contact the pulmonary rehabilitation department by the following:
Telephone: Suffolk Care Co-ordination Centre, 0300 123 2425
The CCC is open 24 hours a day 365 days a year. The team at the CCC will take a message and send it on to the pulmonary rehabilitation team who will then contact you back.
Email: pulmonaryrehabilitation@wsh.nhs.uk
Who pulmonary rehabilitation is not suitable for
Pulmonary rehabilitation may not be suitable if you have:
- significant musculoskeletal conditions that limit your movement, such as severe arthritis
- unstable angina
- a recent heart attack
- uncontrolled high blood pressure
- uncontrolled heart rhythm problems
- aortic stenosis
- an abdominal aortic aneurysm
Patient information and support
The pulmonary rehabilitation service at West Suffolk Hospital was accredited by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in December 2023.