New ‘one stop shop’ for Respiratory conditions opens in Moycullen

A new “one stop shop” for patients with asthma and COPD has opened its doors in the Moycullen Primary Care Centre, Co Galway.

This clinic ensures that patients can access a consultant, a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Physiotherapist and Respiratory Physiologist and receive a diagnosis all on the same visit. 

The clinic has seen 60 patients since opening in late April, reducing the need for people to attend hospital clinics.  Optimising their lung condition in the community is also reducing hospitalisations related to these conditions. 

“The goal of this clinic is to provide comprehensive care for patients who have symptoms suggestive of asthma or COPD. The new clinic is equipped with the latest diagnostic technologies and is staffed by a specialist team of highly experienced respiratory specialists, dedicated to offering personalised, individualised effective treatment plans for each individual patient;” said Denise Dunne, Operational Lead for the Integrated Care Programme for the Prevention and Management of Chronic Disease (ICPCD) in Galway City.

The clinic is revolutionising the way respiratory care is delivered in the local community by leveraging diagnostic tools, including lung function testing to accurately identify and diagnose various respiratory conditions including COPD and Asthma. These technologies enable the clinic's team of respiratory experts to detect lung conditions early, design targeted treatment plans, monitor patient progress and enrol patient on pulmonary rehabilitation; resulting in improved patient outcomes and a higher quality of life.
"We are excited to bring this “one stop shop” respiratory clinic to our community patients;" said Dr Sinead Walsh, Respiratory Consultant aligned to the Integrated Care Hub Galway City.

“Our clinic is designed to provide patients with access to the highest level of care, all under one roof. Our team of specialists includes a respiratory consultant, respiratory physiologist, specialist physiotherapist and clinical nurse specialist who are fully committed to working closely with patients and their general practitioners (GP’s) to ensure a seamless, integrated approach to managing their respiratory health;" she added.

The clinic's opening is a significant milestone in the roll out of the Enhanced Community Care (ECC) programme in the West, which is jointly governed by the Saolta University Health Care Group and Community Healthcare West (CHW). The programme is enhancing and increasing community health services and reducing pressure on hospital services. This means more services closer to where people live. Especially for older people and people with chronic disease. 

The programme helps health and social care services to:

• manage care at a local level
• support the transition from hospitals to the community

ECC is a €240 million investment in community health services that is part of the Sláintecare programme.

These latest clinics in Moycullen will address the growing need for specialised respiratory care being offered closer to the patient’s own home and also the optimal and timely diagnosis of respiratory conditions. According to the World Health Organisation, more than 65 million people worldwide suffer from moderate to severe COPD, and asthma affects over 330 million individuals.

With the establishment of this clinic the team are now commencing a Frequent Exacerbator Clinic. This clinic will support those with a confirmed diagnosis of Asthma or COPD, who are struggling to manage their condition independently.  By optimising those who frequently exacerbate, the goal is to reduce hospital admissions related to these lung conditions. 

For more information about the services on offer within the hub please view the website at https://www.hse.ie/eng/cho2/ecc/healthlink-info-gps.html
 

Photo Caption:
From left: Michaela McGoldrick, Senior Respiratory Physiologist; Ciara Sherlock, Respiratory Clinical Nurse Specialist; Philippa Needham, Respiratory Clinical Nurse Specialist; Niamh Duignan, Clinical Specialist Respiratory Physiotherapist; and Dr Sinead Walsh, Consultant Respiratory Physician.