Posted on September 7th 2021
An open letter from PHA UK Chair Dr Iain Armstrong:
Dear friend,
We know that living with pulmonary hypertension can be challenging, which is why at the PHA UK we have always championed interventions that improve quality of life and boost wellbeing.
For the last four years, we have helped to fund specialist physiotherapist posts that produce evidence of the value of rehabilitation for people with PH.
These physios, along with their colleagues in the service, have helped hundreds of patients to manage their breathlessness, get fitter and stronger, and enjoy a better quality of life.
There is mounting evidence that moving more (in the right way) helps some of the physical symptoms of PH, as well as easing mental health challenges like anxiety and depression -which we know can go hand-in-hand with a long-term condition like PH.
But people with PH need help with this, via rehabilitation from specialist physiotherapists. That support comes at a cost, and we need to be able to justify the investment to NHS commissioners.
That’s why we are launching a campaign for rehabilitation to be made available at ALL the specialist centres in the UK, via specialist physio provision. We also want to ensure that community pulmonary rehabilitation programmes are accessible to those with PH as well as more common respiratory conditions such as COPD. Equity of access is important, and it’s not happening right now.
We can shout from the top of our lungs, but it’s the backing of the PH community that will make a difference to this campaign. If you agree that specialist rehab for people with PH is important, and worth investing in, please pledge your support by filling in this short form.
Anyone with a connection to PH can pledge – patients, partners, carers, loved ones and health professionals too.
Let’s stand together to make a difference.
Iain Armstrong, Chair, PHA UK
