Spotlight Session 2

An Enhanced Model of Community Respiratory Physiotherapy Care

In East Dunbartonshire, respiratory illness is the second most common reason for residents to be conveyed and admitted to hospital. Admissions among residents aged 65 years and above account for the third longest length of hospital stay, highlighting a significant pressure point within the local health and care system.  

The majority of patients admitted with an exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are treated with respiratory physiotherapy and medications that they could receive in the comfort of their own home. Until recently, there was no dedicated community respiratory response within East Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) to support these patients at home. 

In keeping with East Dunbartonshire’s aspiration to develop enhanced models of care delivery, a new service was developed in Spring 2024 to proactively target COPD in the community. The model of physiotherapy care identifies patients at high risk of COPD exacerbations, helps them to improve self-management of their condition and supports those having an exacerbation to manage their flare-up safely at home. 

This presentation will explore how shifting the balance of care between acute and community settings improves access to treatment, enhancing patient experience, and delivers care closer to home. 

Delegates will also learn how this new model aligns with the East Dunbartonshire HSCP objective to reduce emergency hospital attendances and admissions, and how successful implementation is helping to ease pressure on acute services – while delivering safer, more person-centred care.  

Not Just Another Pilot: Combining Primary Care Policy, Improvement and Delivery

Primary care is facing increasing pressures - driven by an ageing population, rising complexity of need; persistent health inequalities; and system-wide financial constraints. 

In response, the Primary Care Phased Investment Programme was launched as a collaborative effort to strengthen and future-proof multidisciplinary team (MDT) working in primary care.  

Bringing together four NHS boards/Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) (Ayrshire & Arran, Borders, Edinburgh City, Shetland), Healthcare Improvement Scotland, and the Scottish Government the programme supports the development, implanting and scaling of multidisciplinary team (MDT) services to improve access and care. 

The Programme has helped to expand the range of professionals that people can access in primary care, allowing GPs to focus on being expert medical generalists, thereby improving access and continuity of care. 

By December 2025, through this unique approach combining policy development, improvement support and frontline delivery, the programme aims to: 

• Improve implementation of two key MDT services - Community Treatment and Care (CTAC) and Pharmacotherapy; 

• Build evidence to inform next steps on implementation including long-term Scottish Government investment; and 

• Share insights across the wider system from the learning from the programme. 

This presentation will share insights from across the whole programme including speakers from the Scottish Government, HIS and Boards.

Social Prescribing Secret Weapon: Therapeutic Gardening and Health in Scotland

In this presentation, delegates will learn how Trellis is empowering  people to take charge of their  health and wellbeing through therapeutic horticulture (TH), applied in settings such as hospitals, GP practices, care facilities,  hospices, prisons and rehab programmes.  

Through start-up help, running sessions, and supporting and training practitioners, Trellis help people receiving NHS and care services to recover and stay well. Their work improves patient experience and reduces service overload, contributing particularly to the Shaping Prevention-Focused Health and Care Systems theme. 

TH is used for recovery and prevention as a lasting way to tackle depression, improve physical activity, sleep quality, loneliness and anxiety and for rehabilitation after stroke, heart attack, mental health crises and neurological injuries. It helps people to help themselves, bringing all the benefits of social prescribing (reducing frequent appointments and A&E attendances) and adding the many benefits of nature exposure. The evidence base is strong and growing. 

Using case studies, research data, and a brief interactive element, delegates will hear more about the benefits of TH, and how people can incorporate it into their service provision.