What is Patient-Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU)?
Patient initiated follow-up (PIFU) puts you, the patient, in control of when you are seen by the Respiratory Team within the Respiratory department. It means spending less time attending hospital appointments, but still having access to clinical support when you need it.
If your condition is stable, you may not find it helpful to attend regular outpatient appointments scheduled by the hospital. Sometimes, these appointments may not result in any change to your treatment, but you’ll have spent time and energy putting arrangements in place to attend your appointment.
Your condition may flare up in between regular booked appointments and it’s at this point you really do need our input. With PIFU, you can get advice from your clinical team, who may suggest an appointment is required. You initiate the follow-up appointment, instead of the hospital. Which is why this process is called patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU). For all other concerns, or if you are feeling unwell, your GP or 111 will remain your first point of contact.
Please Note, PIFU is not a replacement for urgent medical advice and if you are acutely unwell you will need to call 111 for advice or 999 if life threatening.
COPD Patients
If you have any of the following “Trigger Issues”, just contact the Respiratory Team and we will contact you.
- Chest infection with no symptomatic improvement after two weeks of oral antibiotics
- Two separate chest infections in a 6-month period
- Concerns with your current inhaled therapy (including intolerance and side effects with treatment or device issues)
- 2 or more hospital admissions or 1 hospital admission where you have required NIV
Please call us on 0191 445 6035.
If you need to leave a message when you call, please leave the following information:
- Your full name and date of birth
- Your hospital number and/or NHS number
- A telephone number so we can call you back during our opening hours
- The team will review your concerns and decide whether you need immediate clinical advice for your symptoms or if you need an appointment
You will be contacted by a Respiratory nurse Specialist within 2-3 days, If we think it is necessary for you to have an appointment with us, you will be seen within 2-4 weeks.
If you have not required our service within 6-12 months you will then be discharged.