Listen
NHS and lung disease
31/12/2007
Funding of £50,000 will be allocated to help patients and carers influence how NHS services for serious lung diseases are delivered across Scotland.
Currently, Managed Clinical Networks (MCNs) for respiratory diseases such as COPD and asthma are in action in Borders, Forth Valley, Grampian, Lanarkshire and Tayside, providing an arena for clinical professionals, carers and patients to come together to shape patterns of NHS service delivery.
The new funding will allow for the development of training courses for patients and carers who would like to get involved in the work of these Networks.
These will be based on the successful model of the 'Hearty Voices' courses first developed by Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland and the British Heart Foundation Scotland for the Coronary Heart Disease MCNs in Scotland.
The Better Health, Better Care Action Plan published on December 12, 2007 highlighted the Scottish Government's intention to provide resources to ensure the effective implementation of networks for respiratory conditions. Today's announcement forms part of that approach.
Minister for Public Health Shona Robison said:
"I am very pleased to announce the additional £50,000 funding to support Managed Clinical Networks for respiratory conditions in Scotland.
"I strongly believe it is important to continue to deliver NHS services in a way that takes into account the needs of everyone, especially those with complex needs due to long term illnesses like COPD and asthma.
"Through providing training for people who want to get involved in MCNs we will make sure that we give patients and carers a strong voice which they can use to make services even more effective. We also hope that by strengthening the effectiveness of the existing respiratory MCNs, other Boards will be encouraged to adopt the same approach."
David Clark, Chief Executive of Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland, said:
'We are delighted to be able to extend the valuable work of our Voices Scotland programme to people affected by asthma, COPD and other respiratory conditions, and are very pleased that Shona Robison has announced funding to enable this to go ahead.
"Our work with people affected by heart disease and stroke has shown how valuable a contribution patients and carers can make to the development of NHS services, based on their own experiences.
"Managed Clinical Networks, pioneered in Scotland, have made a real difference to the development of services for complex long-term conditions like chest, heart and stroke disease. A major factor in their success has been the involvement of patients and carers, and this initiative will help to strengthen that involvement."
Smoking is the most common cause of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), responsible for 95 per cent of COPD cases.
COPD, which includes serious long term conditions like chronic bronchitis and emphysema, is the only major cause of death on the increase in Scotland, with 130,000 people in Scotland affected. Asthma is one of the commonest long term conditions, affecting almost 400,000 people, 197,000 of whom have severe symptoms.
The Scottish Government made £50,000 available earlier this year to help develop training courses that will allow people who have had a stroke to take part in the work of the stroke MCNs which exist in each NHS Board.
Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland aims to improve the quality of life for people in Scotland affected by chest, heart and stroke illness through medical research, advice and information, and support in the community for patients and their families.
CHSS is one of Scotland's leading medical charities, funding research into all aspects of the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and the social impact of chest, heart and stroke illness: the current programme is worth more than £1 million.