Patient Experience
The Respiratory Assessment Unit is comprised of a team of health professionals (nurses and physiotherapists) who provide a number of services for patients with breathing (respiratory) difficulties such as: emphysema, chronic bronchitis (COPD), asthma, bronchiectasis and lung fibrosis.
Respiratory Outreach Service
The Respiratory Assessment Unit (RAU) provides a COPD outreach service for patients with exacerbations of COPD being treated by their GP in the community. The service provides an alternative to hospital admission by providing ‘hospital-at-home care’.
A clinical nurse specialist or specialist physiotherapist will visit the patient at home for up to fourteen days, depending on the patient’s needs. Following the outreach visits, patients can avail of other services provided by the RAU, for example:
In addition, a respiratory consultant review will be arranged for the patient at the end of the period of care.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme
This is an 8-week outpatient exercise and education programme for people with chronic lung disease who are functionally limited by breathlessness and are suitable to partake in a group exercise class. Classes take place Monday and Thursday afternoons in the Physiotherapy Department of St James's Hospital and participants must attend both days.
Oxygen Assessment Clinics
Respiratory Nurse Clinic
Advice, education and support are provided on living with your breathing condition.
Respiratory Physiotherapist Clinic
Advice is provided on exercising with a breathing condition and clearing phlegm.
We accept referrals from GPs and hospital consultant teams.
The COPD Outreach Service accepts referrals Monday to Thursday, from 8am to 5pm.
Please telephone (01) 410 3763 to discuss the referral with a member of the Respiratory Assessment Unit (RAU) team.
The RAU will then telephone the patient directly to obtain consent and arrange a visit. Patients must be located in Dublin 2, 6, 8, 10, 12 or 20 for the home visit service.
Referrals are also accepted for our Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme, Oxygen Assessment Clinic and the COPD/Asthma Review Clinic.