My Health – Living Well with Long-Term Conditions Service

Getting out of breath is normal. It is a natural response when your body needs more oxygen and energy after doing something physical. Some people get out of breath even when they are not being active. They suddenly find it difficult or uncomfortable to breathe and may feel they cannot control their breathing. Breathlessness can be a symptom of many different long-term conditions. In most cases the first point of contact for breathlessness is your GP to assess and investigate the cause and consider a medical approach.

NHS Inform can be helpful if you are unsure if you should contact your GP if you have a cough Cough | NHS Inform or are breathless Shortness of Breath | NHS Inform.

In many cases there is no medical explanation for breathlessness, and all tests are considered normal – this can sometimes be due to a breathing pattern disorder, anxiety, deconditioning or many other explanations.

The following sites offer advice and self-guided exercises to help manage the symptoms of breathlessness.

• Physiotherapy for Breathing Pattern Disorders
• Breathing Easier – NHSGGC
• Breathing Physio
• Scottish Opera Breath Cycle II (Long COVID)
• Calm App

Fatigue can be a debilitating symptom that impacts all aspects of life. Fatigue is more than just being tired after a hard day and is often not relieved by rest. You may struggle with daily tasks such as washing, dressing, housework, cooking or work/education. There are many reasons why you may experience fatigue, such as stress/anxiety, illness, poor nutrition/vitamin deficiencies, poor quality sleep, hormonal changes and in some cases, medication.

Tiredness and fatigue – NHS

The following strategies can help manage your energy and can be personalised to meet your needs.

• Post viral-fatigue and conserving energy – Royal College of Occupational Therapy
• The Scottish Ballet Long COVID programme helps posture, alignment and body confidence and its creative elements address your whole being
• NHS Sitting exercises
• NHS Pilates – a series of introductory Pilates exercises
• Suzy Bolt Long COVID Yoga – videos of meditations, educational sessions and Yoga based gentle exercise

Brain fog is the term coined for those with memory and attention impairments. The following pages can give some helpful tips on how to manage these problems and ways to improve your memory and attention gradually.

• NHS inform
• Long COVID Physio – Cognitive Dysfunction
• Mindfulness Breathing exercise
• Core practices | Right Decisions

Those with long-term Conditions often struggle to stay in or return to work, study or unpaid work. The following webpages offer support and advice about how to plan your return to work, what to do if you have not been treated fairly by your employer and where to turn if you are exiting work or seeking new employment.

• ACAS – free, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice
• Access to Work – Government based agency offering support to those with a disability
• Jobcentre – Support and advice on benefits and employability
• Action for ME – The rights of people with ME at work – useful leaflet explaining the rights of people with ME at work.
• Action for ME – Support at work for people with ME – useful leaflet with guidance on support available for people with ME at work.
• The Advocacy Project – human rights-based organisation that supports people to have their voices heard and be empowered to be involved in decisions that affect their lives
• The Federation of Small Businesses – for those self-employed or running smaller businesses – advice, financial expertise, support and a powerful voice heard in government
• Govan Law Centre – a free legal resource – a charity challenging poverty, discrimination and disadvantage. They specialise in housing, landlord and tenant, homelessness, welfare rights, money advice, social services, consumer and debt
• Wellness Action Plan (MIND) – an example of a plan which can be useful for maintaining or returning to work.

Your mental health is as important as your physical health. When living with a long-term condition, it is understandable that many people feel a decline in their mental health.

It is important to address these issues to prevent worsening, and there are many ways to self-manage milder symptoms.

If your symptoms are worsening or you no longer feel that you can keep yourself or others safe, please contact your GP or call NHS24 on 111 or 999 depending on the severity.

The ‘My Health – Living Well With Long-Term Conditions’ service is not a 24-hour service. Communication (email and telephone) is not monitored out of working hours.

• NHS – 5 steps to mental wellbeing
• Every Mind Matters – website with resources for managing your mental health including relaxation, meditation and strategies
• Stress Management Society
• Wellbeing services – South Glasgow – web links and virtual groups for various aspects of mental health for those with GPs in the South of Glasgow
• Wellbeing Scotland
• Meditation and Sleep Made Simple – Headspace
• Breathing Space Scotland – a free, confidential, phone and webchat service for anyone in Scotland over the age of 16 experiencing low mood, depression or anxiety.
• Lifelink – can offer support to anyone who is struggling to cope with everyday stress or is feeling anxious or depressed. 1:1 counselling available and a Glasgow based service.
• Samaritans – for anyone struggling to cope, who needs someone to listen without judgement or pressure. This is for if you are in crisis or to prevent a crisis.
• Daylight – clinically proven digital treatment that uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques to help people gain control over their anxiety.

The following pages will signpost you to templates you may use for managing your long-term condition.

• WRAP – wellness action plan, an example of a plan which can be useful for managing your condition
• Work WRAP – Longer version of the above WRAP with sections more relevant to work

For reduced or loss of sense of smell there are charities which support and sell packs to rehabilitate the sense of smell

• Abscent
• Smell Taste
• For people with noise sensitivity after COVID, many have found that noise reducing earplugs are helpful.
• Visual decline – please refer to your local opticians.
• Visual sensitivity – some have found wearing coloured glasses lenses relieving or wearing a cap is helpful to shade the light from above.

These pages have adapted fatigue strategies for those who are neurodivergent (e.g. – Autism or ADHD).

• The Neurodivergent Spoon Theory is a helpful tool which has adapted the Spoon Theory for those who are neurodivergent.
• How to Use Pacing Systems — Insights of a Neurodivergent Clinician (neurodivergentinsights.com)

Your ability to achieve daily activities can be impacted by your long-term condition. Below are some resources to help identify aids that may help.

• Ask Sara – Impartial advice about equipment to help make daily living easier.
• Kitchen Aids – A list of small aids that can support you when completing kitchen tasks.
• Household Aids – A list of small aids that can support you when completing kitchen tasks.
• Personal Care Aids – A list of small aids that can support you when completing personal care tasks.

Certain medical conditions need to be declared to DVLA. Some symptoms may impact on your ability to concentrate or safely manoeuvre a vehicle. If you do not declare a new or worsening health condition or disability, it may result in a fine or prosecution. Please see the DVLA website for further information and an A to Z list of conditions.

People living with long-term conditions often need to reduce their working hours or stop working to manage their condition. This may inevitably have an impact on their finances. The following pages may be able to help and guide you to money management or signpost you to grant or benefits to help.

• Support and Information Services (NHSGGC) – a service within the NHSGGC who can advise on financial, social, educational, lifestyle issues and support groups and guiding through the complaints process.
• Citizens Advice Scotland – help for benefits, debt and money, housing, work, family, law and courts and immigration for those living in Scotland.
• Advice Direct Scotland – support for those with Long Term Conditions – e.g. – advice for applying for Adult Disability Payment / ADP (previously known as Personal Independence Payment / PIP)

Some people experience palpitations – a sensation of fast or inconsistent heart beats in their chests or dizziness. In some cases, this is cardiac related, but many have been medically assessed and the symptom is not due to any damage to the heart.

If you have this symptom and cardiac cause has been ruled out, then this may be classed as dysautonomia. This is a condition which many people have and can be managed with the right advice and treatment.

• Dysautononomia Support
• PoTS-UK
• Standing Up To PoTS
• NHS Page for PoTS
• Stop Fainting

Sleep is important for replenishing energy levels and repairing the body. Many people with long-term conditions feel that their ability to sleep and their sleep quality have got worse. The following pages help with advice and support to improve your sleep.

• Sleepio
• The Sleep Charity
• Sleep Foundation
• BetterSleep
• Wellbeing HUB – sleep

Information for Referrers and General Practitioners (GPs)

Direct referrals will be accepted from GPs via SCI-gateway. If another member of the MDT feels input would be helpful, please discuss with the GP. 

Inclusion criteria 

• 18 years old and above 
• Live within NHSGGC geographical area.  
• 12 weeks history of a long-term condition.  
• Cluster of symptoms which impacts day-to-day living. 

Exclusion criteria 

• Patients living outside NHSGGC boundary 
• Symptoms lasting less than 12 weeks. 
• Other medical conditions that may present with similar symptoms. 
• Patients with co-existent active cancer that would be best managed by the cancer pathway.  
• Patients who are in mental health crisis. 
• Ongoing medical investigations for other conditions. 
• Patient needs are being met elsewhere (e.g. community respiratory team).