Respiratory hubs to stay open due to high demand

Demand has been so high that the respiratory hubs will stay open until the end of February

A service for patients with lung and breathing problems has been extended due to high demand.

The North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) invested £1.5m in 34 winter respiratory hubs across the region, to help "relieve pressures" on accident and emergency departments and GP surgeries.

Patients are referred to the centres if they have respiratory infections, chronic conditions like asthma or if their GP is concerned about persistent symptoms.

The ICB said the region's hubs treated about 600 patients every day and will now stay open until the end of February, a month longer than planned.

Andrew Dowson, of the Durham Dales Health Federation, said the service at North Durham University Hospital had dealt with 700 patients since December.

He said: "During the winter, services are at their busiest especially with the cold weather we've had.

"Demand is very high and the hub takes some of the pressure off."

Andrew Dobson said the North Durham hub had seen 700 patients since December

Patients do not book their own appointments, but are referred by their GP or NHS 111.

Claire Adams, respiratory clinical lead at the hub at North Durham University Hospital, said: "Patients are seen, diagnosed and treated on the same day and this ultimately helps relieve pressures in the system.

"It impacts on ambulance call-outs and keeping people away from accident and emergency departments and managing them in an environment that takes infection control into consideration."

Other County Durham hubs in Easington and Sedgefield have seen almost 1,000 patients during January.

Dr Kamal Sidhu, a GP in east Durham, said: "The extra capacity in our area has been an immense help in providing additional appointments at a time of massive demand at the peak of winter."