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Motion · S6M-13652 · 14 Jun 2024

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week 2024

Lodged by Alexander Stewart Standard Motion 38 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament acknowledges Pulmonary Rehabilitation Week, which for 2024 is running from 17 to 21 June; understands that around one in five people in Scotland live with a lung condition, with around 140,000 people having chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is a long-term chronic lung condition causing extreme breathlessness that can have a huge impact on a person’s quality of life; further understands that it usually develops because of long-term damage to the lungs from breathing in a harmful substance, usually cigarette smoke, as well as smoke from other sources, air pollution and other contaminants, including from vocations where people are exposed to dust, fumes and chemicals; notes that pulmonary rehabilitation is a treatment programme for COPD that consists of a minimum of six weeks of physical training, disease education and nutritional, psychological, social and behavioural intervention, delivered by a multi-disciplinary team; further notes that the course will typically consist of an hour of exercise and an hour of education specifically tailored for people with a lung condition and that, depending on the particular programme, the exercise will be led by a physiotherapist or an exercise instructor, with the education being led by different healthcare professionals depending on the exact topic of the day; acknowledges that, historically, pulmonary rehabilitation took place in a hospital centre, but that many programmes are now delivered in community centres and sometimes leisure centres; understands that the courses are free to access for patients and have been proven to be far more cost effective than inhalers; considers that smoking cessation and flu vaccinations should also be a priority as part of this treatment; expresses deep concern, however, at reports that waiting lists are far too high and that people are not getting the services that they need; understands that pulmonary rehabilitation classes were forced to stop during the COVID-19 pandemic when staff were redeployed, venues taken away and it was not possible to bring vulnerable people together; further understands that this resulted in a considerable build-up of waiting lists that remain a problem to this day; considers that investing in pulmonary rehabilitation helps to increase physical activity and reduces the risk of people with lung conditions being admitted to hospital, and commends the work of charities such as Asthma + Lung UK Scotland and all the professionals involved in the provision of pulmonary rehabilitation for their tireless endeavours focusing on the provision of this vital treatment.

Supporters (38)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.