Our mission is to empower individuals living with chronic respiratory conditions across Swansea Bay to lead fuller, healthier lives. We deliver compassionate, evidence-based pulmonary rehabilitation that integrates physical activity, education, and psychological support. Through a multidisciplinary approach and strong community partnerships, we aim to improve functional capacity, promote self-management, and reduce health inequalities. We are committed to person-centred care that respects each patient’s journey, fosters resilience, and enhances overall wellbeing.

We accept people with long term lung conditions including but not limited to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), bronchiectasis and interstitial lung diseases (ILD). Many people that attend experience breathlessness, wheezing, coughing up sputum and low energy levels.

This programme has been designed to show you how to exercise safely regardless of your health condition, while being supported by a multi-disciplinary health professional team to ensure you are getting the best out of it.

Participants who have completed the pulmonary rehabilitation course often find they are able to be more independent with their activities of da­ily living, have more energy, can control their breathlessness and anxiety with greater ease and are able to manage their condition with more confidence.

You will be invited for an assessment appointment which will be up to 2 hours long. We will use that time to find out:

• What you can and cannot do
• How activity affects you
• How you are feeling and coping with your condition

Wear something comfortable that you can move in and shoes suitable for walking indoors. Bring reading glasses if you have them and list of your current medications. If you have an assessment with us that you cannot attend, please let us know as we will then be able to offer the appointment to somebody else.

You will then attend the programme twice a week for six weeks. Each session lasts between 90 minutes and 2 hours. During that time, you will complete up to one hour of gentle and progressive exercise, individually tailored to you and up to one hour of education on a topic relevant to your lung condition. Topics might include:

• Breathing techniques to help manage your breathlessness
• Why being active is important when you have a lung condition
• How to manage your energy
• Healthy eating
• How to use your inhalers and other medications
• What to do when you are unwell

At the end of the six weeks, you will be invited to attend one further appointment to review your progress and look at ways you can maintain any improvements you have achieved, including continuing to exercise regularly. This might include signposting or referring you to other services available.

The programmes can be accessed at a number of locations across Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend. They are held in community centres and leisure centres that have been carefully chosen ensuring they have level access, car parking and are not too far away from a bus stop.

Swansea locations:

• St Paul’s Parish Hall, Sketty
• South Penlan Community Centre

Neath Port Talbot locations:

• Owain Glyndwr Community Centre, Waunceirch
• St Paul’s Centre, Port Talbot
• Arch Hall, Rhyd-y-fro
• Glynneath Town Hall, Glynneath

Bridgend locations

• Memorial Hall, Coychurch
• Ynysawdre Leisure Centre
• North Cornelly Community Centre
• Bryncethin RFC
• Maesteg Sports Centre

You can speak to your GP or Practice Nurse about being referred to Pulmonary Rehabilitation. If you are being cared for by a Respiratory Consultant or Respiratory Nurse, they can arrange the referral for you.

We have a waiting list but you should hear from us within 3 months of the referral reaching us.