Lane Fox Respiratory Unit

Guy’s and St Thomas’ Lane Fox Respiratory Visiting Professional Programme provides international clinicians the opportunity to experience a leading referral centre for chronic respiratory failure.

Programme aims

The programme is very hands on and provides practical sessions in the clinics and wards.

A Certificate of Attendance will be awarded to visitors upon the end of their programme.


Format

The programme is delivered in the work place and participants will receive on to one supervision and direction whilst based in the clinic or day-case environment.  This programme gives the opportunity for participants to be totally integrated with the day to day service within Lane Fox.


Who can apply

This programme is intended for non U.K. doctors with an interest in respiratory medicine. Delegates should have experience working in a hospital environment, although this is not essential. 

All applicants must have GMC registration in order to apply to the Lane Fox Respiratory Programme. You can apply for GMC registration directly through the main GMC website, alternatively The Royal College of Physicians run a medical training initiative which facilitates GMC registration and provides sponsorship for a Tier 5 visa. You can find out more about their Medical Training Initiative by visiting their website


Programme duration

We are able to offer visiting professional programmes for overseas doctors for 3, 6 or 12 months periods. Shorter or longer attachments are available if required. As we have a number of visiting doctors at any one time it is important that we have a clear understanding of exactly which areas of respiratory you are most interested in. The respiratory programme is tailored to your specific requirements and if you have an interest in a particular area then simply let us know.


Lane Fox Unit service

The Lane Fox respiratory unit is a national referral centre for chronic (long term) respiratory failure.

The 14 bed unit provides inpatient assessment for people with sleep related breathing disease, particularly from neuromuscular diseases such as muscular dystrophy and motor neurone disease. It is also a “safe haven” for these patients at times of acute respiratory illness, as they often have complex care needs.

It aims to provide expert care in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, to encourage patient independence, maintain family/carer involvement and promote health.

The unit:

History of the unit

The unit began as a polio centre in the 1960s and remains the principal centre for the UK’s 80,000 polio survivors. Its holistic rehabilitation programme focuses on the numerous problems associated with ‘post-polio syndrome’. Its team of experts include respiratory, orthopaedic, neurology, neurophysiology and pain management consultants.

It has developed services by consulting patients through its very effective Patients’ Association (LFRUPA). This has also funded equipment and contributed to the unit refurbishment.

Partnership with REMEO

The Unit has joined with REMEO Ltd, a subsidiary of Active Care Group, to develop a 20-bedded weaning unit that opened on the East Surrey Hospital site in 2014. This novel public-private partnership will allow clinical care to be delivered to more patients with chronic respiratory failure under the care of our consultant team.

Clinical research

Research underpins our activities and informs our patient, carer and staff educational programmes. 

We have an active research programme lead by Dr Nicholas Hart and Dr Joerg Steier. 

Our research is focused on improving quality of life in patients with chronic respiratory disease and is focused on two areas: 

1. Advanced physiological monitoring and ventilatory strategies in sleep and chronic respiratory failure 

2. Muscle wasting, weakness and rehabilitation. 

We have a PhD research programme with support provided by our clinical trials co-ordinator.


Example Timetable

Monday morning

  • Tour of the Unit and introduction to LFU personnel 
  • Overview of Lane Fox Respiratory Unit – Patient Referral Patterns and Care Pathways for Longer term NIV
  • Overview of Acute NIV Service at St Thomas’

Monday afternoon

  • Patient assessment on the ward
  • Introduction to screening and monitoring tools such as bedside spirometry, continuous oximetry and transcutanous capnometry, measurement of respiratory muscle strength, interpretation of chest x-rays

Tuesday morning

  • Review of the overnight Oximetry and Capnography of new patients and discussion re treatment needed. 
  • LFU Ventilation Clinic
  • LFU Ward Round

Tuesday afternoon

  • Pathophysiology of Diseases that respond to NIV – Acute and Chronic 
  • Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome 
  • How to interpret Oximetry/ Capnography

Wednesday morning

  • Review of the overnight Oximetry and Capnography of new patients and patients started on NIV 
  • Ventilator settings. 
  • Where to start? How and When to adjust? Review of Lane Fox Protocols.

Wednesday afternoon

  • Troubleshooting Ventilators 
  • Set up Acute NIV Protocol and Set Up of Chronic NIV Protocol 
  • Review of Lane Fox protocols for ventilation in different disease cohorts.

Thursday morning

  • Overview of Lane Fox Unit Outreach service

Thursday afternoon

  • Home Mechanical Ventilation Service

Friday morning

  • LFU Multidisciplinary Team Meeting Handover 
  • Overview of inpatients’ current progress and management 
  • Training and Adherence to ventilation

Friday afternoon

  • Measurement of Respiratory Muscle strength and Cough Strength. Demonstration of Techniques
  • Role of Cough Assist Machine
  • Hands on demonstration

Fees

A course fee per week will be applied; this fee excludes accommodation and travelling expenses. To find out the fee amount please email vpp@gstt.nhs.uk


Please note

Clinicians are able to offer bursaries or discounted placements on an individual basis. This is at the discretion of the Directorates of GSTT and does not affect the terms and conditions of the Visiting Professional Programme agreements.

Start your application
Visiting Professional Programme attendee

The experience was great and I learnt a lot as the skill set was completely new to me. What makes Lane Fox really strong and the experience really good is the team and how they work together. It’s very rewarding when you work with a good team and you’re part of that team helping to make a positive change

Doctor