Profile:
Rickie Bishop MCSP SRP
Rickie qualified in 1970 from Bath School of Physiotherapy and worked at the Royal United Hospital in Bath for two years. She then moved to Hastings and worked in paediatrics in Hastings and Bexhill... [more]
About Fit to Breathe
Fit to Breathe was set up in January 2004 as a private Pulmonary Rehabilitation course to meet the needs of people with chronic breathing problems who are unable to access Pulmonary Rehabilitation through the NHS. Patients can self refer or be recommended by their doctors. Following initial assessment in their own homes, patients attend once a week for six weeks at a hall in the south of Kent in the UK.
In 2005, Rickie started to develop Pulmonary Rehabilitation classes in Kent for the National Health Service. There is now a small team including a respiratory physiotherapist, a respiratory nurse and therapy assistants, who help with the classes.
Patients can be referred by their doctors or practice nurses and attend classes at community venues in Maidstone and the Weald of Kent. This service is gradually being rolled out to other parts of West Kent.
As this is a full-time job, private classes are no longer available.
April 2010 Update
Rickie has now retired from full time practice in the NHS and hopes to enjoy a long and happy retirement. She will continue to support the work of the British Lung Foundation and Chest Heart Stroke Scotland, both of which do excellent work to help people with chronic breathing problems.
She also aims to promote the setting up of a Breathe Easy group in Maidstone as it is still difficult for people in some parts of Kent to access Pulmonary Rehabilitation. Watch this space...
For further information please contact: rickie@fittobreathe.com
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