Chamber and committees

I recognise that pulmonary rehabilitation is a key intervention for people living with chronic respiratory conditions and that many people across Scotland are affected by lung disease. Improving access to pulmonary rehabilitation remains a priority.

Through the Respiratory Care Action Plan for Scotland, pulmonary rehabilitation was identified as an important area for improvement. The Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee has endorsed a new national three-tier model comprising universal digital services, targeted community-based provision and specialist hospital-based support for people with more complex needs.

We are working with Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland to develop a digital-first pulmonary rehabilitation offer through the My Lungs, My Life platform, providing rehabilitation resources, self-management support and educational materials that can be accessed across Scotland. In addition, two targeted pulmonary rehabilitation programme pilots are being developed in both central and rural settings.

Alongside this, Short Life Working Groups are developing national referral criteria and implementation tools to support NHS Boards in expanding pulmonary rehabilitation capacity, reducing geographical variation and improving equitable access. This includes promoting virtual and hybrid rehabilitation models where appropriate, helping to address workforce and travel barriers and enabling more people to benefit from pulmonary rehabilitation closer to home.