RESIDENT MEDICAL OFFICERS' UNIT

Respiratory

Respiratory Services provides secondary level care for patients with respiratory disorders on an inpatient, outpatient and domiciliary basis throughout the North Canterbury Region. It also acts as a tertiary referral centre for the northern half of the South Island.

At Christchurch Hospital there is a specialist inpatient ward. This caters for patients with acute respiratory illness and those requiring hospitalization for respiratory investigations and treatment. There is a dedicated area for the provision of non invasive ventilation using BiPAP. This currently is mainly used for patients with severe COPD.

The outpatient service is separate from but located within the outpatient area of Christchurch Hospital. There is a dedicated Respiratory Nurse Educator supported by two part time EN providing assistance with running the area and providing information/education.

The Cardiorespiratory Outreach Service provides the local oxygen service, Cardiorespiratory Specialist Nursing Care for patients in the hospital and in the community, it is involved in providing home IV therapy and directly observed therapy for TB. There are two dedicated Maori Health workers, a half time Clinical Psychologist, several FTE Respiratory Clinical Nurse Specialists and Cardiology Nurse Specialists. The CRO provides crucial support for the local Pulmonary Rehabilitation programme. The CRO also forms the base for a Medical Officer.

There is a Respiratory Physiology Laboratory with a senior scientific officer – technical director, several Respiratory scientists and a part time Medical Director. It provides the full range of lung function tests including cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Our Laboratory was the first one to achieve full accreditation through the TSANZ.

There is a dedicated Sleep Unit with a part time Medical Director, several scientists. At this stage there is provision only for Level III and Level IV sleep studies, but a plan for full PSG has been submitted, there is a programme to provide CPAP and BiPAP for obstructive sleep apnoea but also other sleep disordered breathing and patients with ventilatory failure.

Within the Service there are three Respiratory inpatient teams with a total of nine SMO (7.6 FTE). Each physician has a special Respiratory interest but also general Respiratory duties. Subspecialty areas include cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, tuberculosis, pulmonary artery hypertension, thoracic malignancies, pleural disorders, interstitial lung disease, sleep disorders. The Service is supported by 7 medical secretaries, there are associated allied health professionals. There are weekly multidisciplinary team meetings, weekly radiology conferences and a dedicated multidisciplinary thoracic malignancy conference.

As part of the service’s association with the Christchurch School of Medicine there is a strong commitment to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

The Canterbury Respiratory Research Group is led by Dr Mike Epton. The group has a long tradition and numerous publications. Previous activities were predominantly in the field of COPD and asthma, air pollution, pulmonary embolism. There are a number of research Fellows and research nurses. All staff working for the Respiratory Service are encouraged to participate in research projects as feasible.

We actively support a smokefree hospital and DHB.

The service is currently involved in a number of initiatives to improve service integration and referral management for patients with respiratory problems within the entire DHB.

For further information please contact

Dr Mike Epton, Clinical Director telephone (64 3) 364 0903
email: mike.epton@cdhb.govt.nz