Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties.
It includes:
- emphysema – damage to the air sacs in the lungs
- chronic bronchitis – long-term inflammation of the airways
The breathing problems tend to get gradually worse over time and can limit your normal activities, although treatment can help keep the condition under control.
The main symptoms of COPD are:
- increasing breathlessness, particularly when you're active
- a persistent chesty cough with phlegm – some people may dismiss this as just a "smoker's cough"
- frequent chest infections
- persistent wheezing
Without treatment, the symptoms usually get progressively worse. There may also be periods when they get suddenly worse, known as a flare-up or exacerbation.
Contact us
Northern services
The Respiratory Specialist Nurses provide a Helpline number 01271 311600 which is available Mon-Fri 8.00-16.00.
CREADO Team – 01271 341505
Sharon Standen – 01271 349589
Sally Pearson – 01271 322443
Jess Cole – 01271 311600
Eastern services
If you want to get in contact, please call the Hospital switchboard on 01392 411611 and ask to be put through to the department.
Meet the team
Northern services
Consultants
Dr Alison Moody – Consultant Physician
Dr Georgina Hands – Consultant Physician
Dr Jareer Raza – Consultant Physician
Respiratory Nurses
Lynn Greenfield – Respiratory Specialist Nurse
Sharon Newcombe – Respiratory Nurse
Secretaries
Sharon Standen – Secretary to Dr Alison Moody & Dr Jareer Raza
Sally Pearson – Secretary to Dr Georgina Hands
Jess Cole – Administrator for Respiratory Nurses
Melanie Duncan and Angela Sutton – Administrator for Lesley Parsons and Linda Jordan
Eastern services
Consultants
- Dr Tom Burden - Consultant Physician
- Dr Lee Dobson - Consultant Respiratory Medicine
- Dr Michael Gibbons - Consultant Physician
Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Sharon Alford - Respiratory Nurse Specialist. Early Supported Discharge Service (COPD)
- Jo Burn - Respiratory Physiotherapist
- Laura Childs - Respiratory Nurse Specialist
- Katy Converso - Respiratory Nurse Matron & Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner
- Michelle Curtis - Paediatric Respiratory & Allergy Nurse Specialist
- Charlotte Hawkins - Clinical Lead Physiotherapist for Home Ventilation & Trainee Advanced Clinical Practitioner
- Sarah Lines - Interstitial Lung Disease Nurse Specialist
- Hilary Mortimer - Respiratory Nuse Specialist/ Bronchiectasis
- Sandra Pope - Lead Lung Clinical Nurse Specialist
- Abbie Rickards - Paediatric Respiratory and Allergy CNS
- Ruth Unsworth - Respiratory/TB Nurse Specialist
- Amanda Yates - Lead Asthma Specialist Nurse
Where to find us
Your healthcare professional will advise where your appointment will take place. Your appointment may take place at one of our outpatient clinics situated within our main hospital sites or within the community.
Eastern services
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford)
Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford)
Barrack Road
Exeter
EX2 5DW
Northern Services
North Devon District Hospital
North Devon District Hospital
Raleigh Park
Barnstaple
Devon
EX31 4JB
Northern services CREADO team
The CREADO team is an Early Assisted Discharge Team who facilitate earlier discharge from Hospital and support in the community for patients having had a hospital admission due to COPD. Part of the remit of this team is to provide Pulmonary Rehabilitation at various locations in North Devon.
The team consists of COPD Specialist Nurses, Physiotherapists and HCSW's. They are based at Barnstaple Health centre. Their contact number is 01271 341505
Eastern Services COPD Early Supported Discharge
The Exeter COPD early supported discharge program aim to to facilitate early discharge, optimise medical management, and promote exercise and mental well-being. The service consists of a team of specialist Respiratory Nurses and Physiotherapists supported by a Respiratory Consultant.
Services and treatments
The damage to the lungs caused by COPD is permanent, but treatment can help slow down the progression of the condition.
Treatments include:
- stopping smoking – if you have COPD and you smoke, this is the most important thing you can do
- inhalers and medicines – to help make breathing easier
- pulmonary rehabilitation – a specialised programme of exercise and education
- surgery or a lung transplant – although this is only an option for a very small number of people
Find out more about how COPD is treated and living with COPD.
In the most severe cases, we provide a 'home oxygen' service. This involves setting you up with a special oxygen cylinder or machine which you can take home and use when you need.
Patient information leaflets
We produce a wide range of leaflets which provide information about our services and about the treatment you might receive in our clinics or during your stay in hospital.
We also produce these in different formats including large print, please contact the department you are visiting for more information.