Ms Olive McCafferty:

I am a senior physiotherapist working in the heart and lung transplant unit, so I see these patients daily. Pulmonary rehab is a basic need for these patients. It would allow them access to proper assessment of their oxygen and maintenance of that, because it is a progressive disease. Their oxygen demand increases, unfortunately. It would allow them access to peer support, and that is really important for them. They are not included in the current pulmonary rehab programme. Unfortunately, they might not know other people with pulmonary fibrosis, so peer support is important. It would also allow access to education about their disease and to medication. It would allow these patients to exercise in a safe environment run by physiotherapists and nurses alike. Access to pulmonary rehab is paramount for these patients and is something that should have already been done. It is the least these patients deserve to maintain their exercise tolerance, to reduce hospital admissions and exacerbations, and to improve quality of life for these patients.