To ask the Minister of Health what steps his Department is taking to restart in-person pulmonary rehabilitation services.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is an exercise and education programme designed for people with lung disease who experience symptoms of breathlessness. It focuses on tailored physical exercise and information that helps people to better understand and manage their condition/s and symptoms.

Each Health and Social Care Trust is responsible for the delivery of pulmonary rehabilitation services in their respective Trust areas. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on the delivery of in-person sessions across all five Trusts. In- person face-to- face pulmonary rehabilitation services were stepped down due to patient safety as patients with chronic respiratory disease are more vulnerable to the impacts of COVID-19 and also given the COVID-19 restrictions in place across Northern Ireland which meant that group exercise classes were not possible nor permitted.

During this time, virtual on-line pulmonary rehabilitation classes were offered as an alternative and respiratory teams continued to engage with this patient group to offer support and self-management advice when needed.

In-person pulmonary rehabilitation services have re-started in Belfast HSC Trust, Southern HSC Trust and South Eastern HSC Trust areas. The ongoing impact of the pandemic has prevented a re-start in Northern HSC Trust and Western HSC Trust areas, however virtual pulmonary rehabilitation sessions continue to be available. Plans are in place in the Northern HSC Trust to restart in-person sessions in the New Year.