Liverpool Acute Respiratory Virtual Ward (ARVW) aims to provide safe, effective, and adaptive care to patients with acute exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease referred from hospital or the community and Bronchiectasis, Community Acquired Pneumonia, influenza and covid referred from the hospital. Utilising a mix of healthcare professionals including respiratory consultants, respiratory specialist nurses, specialist physiotherapists, Telemedicine nurses from Merseycare NHS Trust and home physiological measurement technology we aim to prevent hospital admissions or reduce length of stay in hospital.
By optimising patients’ long term respiratory health, LCRT aims to improve Liverpool patients’ holistic health related quality of life, improve respiratory symptoms, reduce exacerbation (or ‘flare up’) frequency and, by offering self-referral to the service for those with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), avoid future admissions.
More information
Early supported discharge (ESD)
This service is for patients admitted to any Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust sites with an acute exacerbation of COPD, bronchiectasis, CAP and viral LRTIs.
This service operates 9am-8pm. LCRT will accept referrals until 6pm.
Admission avoidance service
Patients with spirometry or CT-confirmed COPD can be referred via a variety of healthcare practioners if suffering an exacerbation severe enough to warrant hospital admission.
CRT is available 365 days a year, 8am-8pm, and referrals can be made, 8am-6pm.
Within primary care we accept referrals from:
- Patient’s GP (General Practitioner)
- NWAS (Northwest Ambulance Service)
- Community Matron
- LUHFT or LHCH Respiratory Nurse Specialist
- Practice Nurse (band 6 or above)
- Heart Failure Specialist Nurse
- Dr, Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Advanced Care Practitioner for Walk in Centre
- GP, Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Advanced Care Practitioner for PC24
- Dr, Advanced Nurse Practitioner or Advanced Care Practitioner for ICRAS
- Pulmonary Rehab Practitioner
- Community Physiotherapist.
These referrals are made through Urgent Care Direct (UCD) on 0300 323 0240.
Patients with COPD can refer themselves to the service if they are suffering with an exacerbation of COPD that is not responding to their rescue pack or if their symptoms are sever enough that they feel they may need to considered for short term nebulisers. Please note we will need to ensure that the diagnosis is correct by looking for accredited spirometry or a CT scan which confirms the diagnosis.
Patients under LCRT will receive a full assessment and a collaborative treatment plan.
This may include:
- Treatment of the acute exacerbation including short term loan of a nebulizer if clinically indicated
- An explanation of COPD and its symptoms
- Discussion about and referral to pulmonary rehabilitation
- Referral for community spirometry
- Advice on respiratory vaccines
- Smoking cessation advice, support and onward referral
- Inhaled medication review
- Onward referral for oxygen assessment if clinically indicated
- Oral mucolytic therapy
- Managing breathlessness
- Education on identifying and managing exacerbations
- Help with managing anxiety and depression
- Advice on relaxation techniques
- Advice on self-management strategies
- Respiratory specific physiotherapy
- Advice on dietary issues, exercise, travel and social security benefitsdetails of local ,national and online resources that can provide more information and support
- Advice for those with end stage COPD who may benefit from Palliative Care support.
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Aintree University Hospital
Address: Aintree University Hospital
Lower Lane
Fazakerley
Liverpool
L9 7ALFor maps and other information visit our Getting Here page for Aintree University Hospital
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Royal Liverpool University Hospital
Address: Royal Liverpool University Hospital
Prescot Street
Liverpool
Merseyside
L7 8XPFor maps and other information visit our Getting Here page for Royal Liverpool University Hospital
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Broadgreen Hospital
Address: Broadgreen Hospital
Thomas Drive
Liverpool
L14 3LBFor maps and other information visit our Getting Here page for Broadgreen Hospital
We have teams based at Aintree University Hospital (Aintree House) and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
Community
We also provide COPD diagnosis and optimisation clinics for patients with substance misuse issues from Brook Place in Tuebrook, and We Are with You in Croxteth.
Our allied partners
- Smoke Free Liverpool - Liverpool’s service to support stopping smoking
- CURE Team - in hospital stopping smoking support team team
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation - Breathe Campaign: A 10 week rehabilitation programme for people in Liverpool who have long term lung conditions such as COPD, Bronchiectasis, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Asthma or breathing problems
- Community Pharmacy - we work closely with community pharmacies to ensure that we have timely access to emergency medications
- Telehealth -The providers of digitally enabled equipment that can help monitor long term conditions
- Social prescribing services - social services and the NHS service that looks at social, environmental and mental health related help
- Mental health services - Talking Therapies (Mersey Care) Counselling and cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with mental health issues
- Community dieticians - help with weight management and correct nutrition
- Social services any issues with housing, poverty, emergency care needs
- Community physiotherapy - referral for mobility aids, mobility assessments and strengthening exercises
- Oxygen services - can refer to services in Liverpool for assessment for long term oxygen if required
- Inpatient respiratory teams
- Liverpool Integrated Care Team - Mersey Care Integrated Care Teams help to support any adults and their families who have more than one health or social care need, involving all organisations in their care.
- Integrated Care Reablement and Assessment Service - the multidisciplinary team work together to manage the care of people in the community requiring support of an urgent nature and who are at risk of imminent hospital admission, and those transferring from a hospital environment and require additional support.
- Brook Place - substance misuse and dependency clinic
- We Are With You - substance misuse and dependency clinic.