The physiologist team at the Lung Function Unit provide a large variety of diagnostic investigations for patients in Dudley and neighbouring areas. These tests are primarily Respiratory with some upper GI. These can lead to diagnosis and treatment pathways. Pre-Operative assessments and long term monitoring of patients is often also required.

The team work with patients of mainly adult age and strive to create a welcoming and helpful environment for all patients, visitors and staff. The investigations are carried out in purpose built areas in a private and dignified setting. The team are highly trained to offer quality patient care whilst producing a variety of accurate and reproducible results.

Spirometry is the most common test procedure performed. This is carried out in a variety of clinical settings. These include wards, respiratory outpatient clinics and within the lung function unit labs.

Inpatient spirometry tests are conducted Monday to Friday from 9am until 12noon and should only be requested via Sunrise. If your patient requires a clinically urgent spirometry in the afternoon, please contact the department directly to discuss on Ext 3167.

Detailed pulmonary function tests are carried out within the lung function unit labs on specialist equipment. These tests can be requested by Doctors within the Dudley Group of Hospitals.

Referrals can be made by completing the paper Lung Function Request Form, found on the Hub under Documents/Forms by specialty/Respiratory/Lung Function Referral Form.

All forms are processed and vetted daily and should be sent to the Lung Function Unit, Ground Floor, West Wing, Russells Hall Hospital.

All tests and procedures are conducted Monday to Friday, from 8:30am until 4pm.

List of available tests are given below:

Pulmonary Function Tests

• Reversibility (MDI or Nebuliser)
• Full Pulmonary Function Tests (Flow Volume Loops, Lung Volumes by Nitrogen Washout, Single Breath Transfer Factor)
• Whole Body Plethysmography
• Muscle Pressures

Exercise Testing

• 6 minute Walk
• Shuttle Walk
• Bronchial Lability
• Cardio-Respiratory

Other Respiratory Function

• Arterial Blood Gas Sampling
• Mannitol Challenge Testing
• Hypoxic Inhalation Test

Gastro-Intestinal Tests

• 24 Hour ambulatory pH monitoring
• Oesophageal Manometry
• Hydrogen Breath Testing

Sleep Service
The sleep service is located within the lung function unit and involves the diagnosis; treatment and long term follow up of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome.
This includes overnight oximetry, detailed sleep studies, the setting up of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) treatment as well as yearly follow up and continued support of patients and equipment.

GP’s can refer directly for sleep assessment via the e-referral Lung Function Open Access form. Hospital Doctors can request assessment by means of a paper Lung Function request located on The Hub. Lung Function Request Form. All results are reviewed and reported on by a specialist respiratory/sleep consultant. Patients requiring further investigation / treatment are then seen in a consultant led clinic before being referred to the physiologist team.

Long Term Nebuliser Service

The Lung Function Unit is responsible for the maintenance of Long Term nebulisers issued by DRAS at the request of a Respiratory Consultant to patients within the community.

This involves medical device education to patients or carers as well as yearly exchange of the machine and supply of essential consumables.

A weekly nebuliser maintenance clinics runs within the department. We do not offer home visits.

For more information or advice, contact:

• Physiologists for General Enquires – Tel: 01384 456 111 Ext 3167
• Lead Physiologist Tel: 01384 456 111 Ext 3566 – Harry Patel (harry.patel1@nhs.net)

The Dudley TB Nursing service consists of specialist nurses who care for people with a diagnosis of Tuberculosis. We support the patients throughout their treatment which is 6 months minimum but can be up to 12 months in some cases.

We also screen contacts to cases of TB in our nurse led clinic at Dudley Guest Hospital on Monday and Wednesday.

Our clinic on Wednesday runs alongside the Respiratory Consultant Dr Doherty where patients commence treatment for active or latent disease and we counsel those patients, informing them of side effects to treatment and offer support, which can be weekly home visits.

We administer BCG vaccination to those babies and adults who are eligible.

Our service accepts referral’s from GPS, H/V and other health professionals. We are available to give advice, telephone consultations for anyone worried about TB in a workplace for example, however we visit many settings and are always happy to provide any training.

If a patient is suspected of having TB please contact the TB Nurses as soon as possible on the following numbers;

• Office: 01384 321395
• Monday – Friday (08:30 to 16:30)
• TB Lead CNS – Kal Lohia (kal.lohia@nhs.net)

Providing tobacco cessation advice to inpatients and outpatients to help them with their tobacco dependence. We offer behavioural support and combination nicotine replacement therapy whilst an inpatient and on discharge. We facilitate a referral to a community pharmacy to continue their nicotine replacement therapy on discharge for 12 weeks.

Location

• Respiratory Hub Russell’s Hall Hospital
• Working hours Monday to Friday 9:00am-5:00pm

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

• Current smokers or vapers
• Over the age of 18
• Inpatients or outpatients

• Pregnant
• Under 18 years of age

Referral process

Referrals via sunrise or email and will be reviewed within 48 hours of receiving referral

Our integrated respiratory care service is dedicated to improving outcomes for individuals with respiratory conditions, particularly chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other related illnesses. Through integrated care, education, and timely interventions, Led by Alison Somers (Integrated Respiratory Practitioner) and Respiratory Consultants Dr Brammer and Dr Chohan, we aim to achieve the following:

1. Reduce Respiratory Urgent Care Admissions and Readmissions
   To focus on proactive care and early intervention to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, ensuring patients receive appropriate care before their conditions escalate.
2. Reduce Avoidable Admissions and Support Individuals at Home
   The goal is to maintain patients in their preferred place of residence, minimising unnecessary hospital admissions while ensuring they receive the necessary care and support at home.
3. Enhance Respiratory Care Education for Health Care Professionals
   To provide targeted training and resources for healthcare professionals, focusing on areas such as inhaler techniques, management of acute exacerbations, and best practices in respiratory care to improve patient outcomes.
4. Facilitate Timely Discharge
   Aim to reduce hospital stays through effective discharge planning, ensuring patients receive appropriate care after leaving the hospital and return to their communities in a timely manner.
5. Integrated Care Across Primary, Community, and Secondary Services
   The service is designed to seamlessly integrate primary, community, and secondary care services, ensuring smooth transitions and comprehensive care coordination. This integration is supported by shared patient records and strong communication channels across all care settings.
6. Provide Advice and Guidance Through E-Referral and Community CPT Support
   Offering expert advice and guidance through electronic referrals and telephone contact with Community Partnership Teams (CPT) to ensure consistent support for healthcare professionals and patients alike.
7. Coordinated Health and Social Care for Older Adults
   For older patients with respiratory conditions and multiple comorbidities, we coordinate care through dedicated care coordinators and practice MDT processes to ensure a holistic approach to both health and social care.

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust has a dedicated paediatric ward (ward C2) where your child will be cared for. The anaesthetist will meet you on the day of surgery and discuss the planned anaesthetic with you and your child.

Information for parents and guardians can be found here.

Below are some resources that cover children of all ages:

• Preschool/Early Years children: Rees Bear has an anaesthetic
• Older primary school aged children: Davy the Detective: finding out about anaesthetics
• Teenagers and young adults: General anaesthesia: A brief guide for young people and You and your anaesthetic: a young person’s guide
• More information and videos can be found here

Visiting in advance of admission

If you would like to show your child the hospital and what to expect when walking around inside, please visit the Hospital Virtual Tour.

It is also possible to visit and have a tour on a 1:1 basis. At present, this can only be offered 8am – 4pm, Monday to Friday. Please contact the ward on (01384) 244271 and ask to speak to the play specialists to arrange.

Children’s Anaesthetic Preassessment Medical Health Questionnaire

If you have not already completed this health questionnaire on behalf of your child, please download it from here.

Advice on pain management

Pain management in hospital: Pain relief for children V1 (Version for parents and carers) and Pain relief for young people V1 (Version for young people)

Pain management at home: Pain management after surgery (Children’s Surgery) V1

Having surgery is a big moment in your life and it’s normal to feel anxious about it. Fitter patients who are able to improve their health and activity levels recover from surgery more quickly. What you do now can have a really big impact on your recovery.

Taking an active role in planning and preparing for your operation will help you feel in control, leave hospital sooner and get back to normal more quickly.

Click here for a leaflet which will give you general advice on what you can do to get the best outcome from your surgery.

There is also a very useful animation and further resources at: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/fitterbettersooner

Theatre services

There are two theatre suites at Russells Hall Hospital comprising main theatres and day case, with a total of 14 operating theatres. We also have a specialist operating theatre in the X-ray department where certain vascular operations are performed. At Corbett Outpatient Centre, a standalone day case unit provides a service for minor orthopaedic and dental procedures.

We provide anaesthesia for a wide range of surgical specialities, including:

• General surgery
• Vascular surgery
• Orthopaedics and trauma
• Gynaecology
• Urology
• Plastic surgery
• Ear, nose and throat surgery
• Maxillofacial surgery

Critical Care Unit

The Critical Care Unit has nine beds designed and equipped to manage and care for critically ill patients. The unit is run by consultant anaesthetists and consultant physicians who are specialists in the field of critical care.

Daily medical care on the unit is led by a consultant supported by a multi-disciplinary team including specialist nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists and dieticians.

There is a 24 hour outreach service whose role is to identify patients within the hospital who are becoming ill so that they can receive immediate treatment and admission to the Critical Care Unit, if required. The Critical Care Unit is located on the 1st floor, east wing, opposite main operating theatres.

Maternity

The Maternity Unit manages over 4,000 deliveries a year and comprises 33 single delivery rooms and three-four bedded bays. There are two obstetric operating theatres and two high-dependency rooms for mothers developing severe complications during pregnancy or childbirth.

Anaesthetists provide a 24 hour service including a range of anaesthetic options for caesarean section, an epidural service and, together with obstetricians,  medical care for women with severe pregnancy complications.

Each week, a consultant anaesthetist holds a clinic for mothers who require additional anaesthetic assessment before delivery.

The Maternity Unit is located on the 2^nd floor at the end of east wing.

Acute pain

The Acute Pain Service reviews patients recovering from major surgery to ensure that their pain is well controlled. This service currently comprises consultant anaesthetists and two clinical nurse specialists who work through the week on wards across the hospital, visiting patients and dealing with their needs.

Chronic pain

The Chronic Pain Service provides a diverse and comprehensive range of treatments including physical therapies, injection therapies, behavioural pain management programmes and neuromodulation (a method of pain relief that targets the nervous system to relief pain).

The service is provided by consultant anaesthetists supported by clinical nurse specialists, physiotherapists, a psychologist and an occupational therapist. The service is recognised as the regional centre for inpatient pain management. A recent national pain audit (a Dr Foster audit) placed it in the top eight of all pain departments that met all criteria and as the only one that met waiting times.

Postgraduate training

Trainee anaesthetists from the Birmingham School of Anaesthesia (part of Health Education West Midlands) are allocated to The Dudley Group. Depending on their experience, they may work independently, or under the direct supervision of a consultant.

Undergraduate training

The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust is a teaching hospital of the University of Birmingham. Students are allocated to the anaesthetic department in five week blocks.

This website includes text taken from the Royal College of Anaesthetists’ (RCoA) website www.rcoa.ac.uk but the RCoA has not reviewed this as a whole.