THE FOUNDER of a rehab programme which has helped hundreds of Malvern smokers suffering from a life-threatening disease is demanding answers after the service was stopped in the town.
Retired nurse Elaine Bevan-Smith has been left shocked after she discovered the Pulmonry Rehabitation Programme which she set up in Malvern almost 20 years ago had come to a halt following a decision made by Worcestershire NHS Acute Trust.
The six-week programme, which has been held in numerous locations around the town, provides support to sufferers of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonry Disease (COPD) – a condition which sees an individual’s lungs inflamed and therefore makes it difficult for sufferers to breath – with regular exercise techniques to help them through it.
The disease is mainly caused through regular smoking.
Elaine told the Observer the programme has supported around 1,000 patients from the Malvern and Upton areas since its launch back in 1998 and is demanding it to return to help save lives.
The programme is available in other areas of the county but Elaine says research has shown it is not best practice for sufferers of the disease to travel far to receive treatment.
She also added she did not understand the reason for it being and would be keen to launch it back as a charity should the Trust not reinstate it.
“It’s a travesty for Malvern that this programme has been stopped – the town needs it back as soon as possible.
“There are sufferers who will have to travel quite far to go on and this programme. Research shows that travel is a huge barrier to patients completing a pulmonry rehabilitation. It is no-brainer that local rehab is the answer.
“It’s a kick in the teeth for sufferers to have the programme stopped in Malvern. I’m hoping the Trust soon see sense and reinstate it.
“Malvern has to have this service and I will provide it myself as a charity if I have to.”
A Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust spokesman said: “‘Due to some staffing issues we have temporarily relocated the Malvern pulmonary rehabilitation class to Worcester.
“All patients were fully informed before the changes and the service they are receiving remains the same.’
Elaine’s call for the rehab programme to be reinstated comes as the national ‘Stoptober’ campaign – which encourages millions of smokers to quit each year – gets under way .
Stoptober – the 28-day smoking cessation challenge – was launched in October 2012 and this will be its fifth year.
By stopping smoking for 28 days residents are five times more likely to stop for good and last year more than 500,000 people successfully quit in the nation’s biggest mass participation stop smoking challenge ever.
Along with the health benefits, stopping smoking will save the average smoker over £150 a month and almost £2,000 a year.
