East Lancashire Paediatric Respiratory Physiotherapy - CF/Bronchiectasis management during Covid

This cohort of patients are in the shielded category, so are unable to attend for normal face to face consultations with both physiotherapy and the wider MDT, which means we have had to think differently about how we manage these children.  Their long term condition means they are at risk or deterioration without regular and careful monitoring and management.

We sent out exercise ideas out to our caseload to give advice about how to keep active and maintain their exercise levels at home while isolating.

We also advised patients to send out monthly sputum samples to enable continued objective monitoring from a microbiology perspective. This process was organised with patient, family and their GP. This has also helped inform MDT discussion and identify where urgent medical management is required.

The MDT continues to work collaboratively but through virtual MDT meetings weekly to discuss cases and escalate to relevant colleagues as indicated. The high risk patients are being contacted minimum of monthly by one of the team and an MDT telephone consultation is completed, see attached proforma This helps to monitor patients and highlight any concerns to the MDT and enable an agreed plan of action. Furthermore it is reducing caseload demands due to the initial screening being completed by only member of the MDT and ensures patients are being asked the same questions by multiple professionals. The frequency of telephone and further video consultations are completed as indicated by individual/clinical patient need. This is working effectively to ensure patients are supported, advice is provided timely and treatment/MDT goals are continued to be addressed.