SPECIAL sessions for patients who suffer from diagnosed lung problems are to be held at Crewe Lifestyle Centre.

The leisure centre's owners, Everybody Sport and Recreation, has teamed up with the Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership's Pulmonary Rehabilitation Service.

Pulmonary Rehabilitation is an exercise and education programme for patients living with a diagnosed breathing problem such as COPD, bronchiectasis or pulmonary fibrosis.

It is an eight-week programme and patients need to attend twice a week when they will be taught how to manage their symptoms, particularly breathlessness, and increase their exercise ability, making day-to-day activities easier.

Donna Williamson, senior manager – health innovation at Everybody Sport and Recreation, said: "This new partnership will enable the service to cope with patients demand in numbers through increasing provision and access to the programme, while offering patients long-term exercise and lifestyle support in coping and managing their condition, all under the same roof."

Crewe Lifestyle Centre's health instructors are supporting the exercise component of the sessions and once patients have completed the programme they can continue attending exercise classes at the centre.

Jane Wilmer, a specialist respiratory physiotherapist with the British Lung Foundation, said: "We are delighted to be working in partnership with Everybody Sport and Recreation and moving the programme to Crewe Lifestyle Centre.

"It is a much bigger venue for us so we can see more patients more quickly and having the delivery support of Everybody's Specialist Health instructors at the centre working alongside us during the sessions allows us to share our expertise, all of which will benefit our patients."

To access this service, patients need a referral from a GP/practice nurse/Integrated respiratory team or respiratory consultant.