Respiratory

We provide respiratory services at University Hospital Lewisham, Queen Elizabeth Hospital and in community settings around Lewisham borough.

Services available

Our services include:

  • General respiratory service for inpatients and outpatients
  • Asthma
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Long-term oxygen therapy
  • Tuberculosis (TB) and TB in HIV
  • Pleural interventional services
  • Two-week wait respiratory service
  • Virtual lung nodule clinic
  • Lung cancer services
  • Coughs
  • Bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)
  • Lung function tests and respiratory lab
  • Respiratory diagnostics
  • Joint service with the rheumatology consultant for patients with autoimmune disorders
  • Assessment for pulmonary rehabilitation
  • Cystic fibrosis and transition

We also provide a range of specialist diagnostic and rehabilitation services:

Locations and contact

University Hospital Lewisham

Chest Clinic, Yellow Zone, University Hospital Lewisham

The door is located on the front of the hospital in the patient transport area

Find it on a map >>

Phone: 020 3192 6888

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Respiratory secretaries  020 8836 4093 / 020 8836 4095

Lung nodule administrator   020 8836 4639

Pleural administrator: 020 8836 6026

Respiratory lab:  020 8836 5257 

Tuberculosis service: 020 8836 4815 

Macmillan Advice and Guidance Service: 020 8333 3336 / lg.mags@nhs.net — available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm

Respiratory Service Manager via switchboard:  020 8836 6000

Endoscopy Unit:  020 8836 4150 or 020 8836 4141

Asthma and COPD

We see adult patients who come to hospital after an asthma attack. Patients are reviewed by the clinical nurse specialist (CNS).

Services available:

  • Asthma management plans and education 
  • Medication advice
  • Reviews of patients in the emergency department to enable safe discharge
  • Specialist asthma clinics
  • Inpatient review and education
  • Training for ward nurses

Our chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) team at Queen Elizabeth Hospital work closely with local community services in Greenwich and Bexley. 

We provide seamless care for people with COPD, from early disease through to those needing more advanced treatments such as non-invasive ventilation.

Tuberculosis

Our specialist Tuberculosis service is available to Bexley and Greenwich residents.

Out service has specialist TB nurses who provide treatment, advice and support to people with TB and their contacts.

Services available:

  • TB contact tracing screening
  • BCG vaccination for contacts
  • Directly Observed Therapy (DOT)
  • Inpatient support
  • Nurse-led clinics at various sites
  • Pre-test HIV counselling
  • Education and awareness raising.

How to get a referral

The TB team reviews people with confirmed or suspected TB and their contacts, as well as new immigrants to the UK.

You can refer yourself to the service by emailing:  oxl-tr.tbservice@nhs.net.

Referrals are also accepted from health, housing and social care and welfare professionals.

Pleural interventions

Our specialist consultants and pleural interventional specialist nurses support patients who need pleural biopsies, chest drains and indwelling catheters.

We also offer an outpatient clinic in the pleural room in Ward 3 at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

This includes new referrals for pleural effusions and chest drain management from hospital clinicians.

Services available:

  • Portable/bedside pleural ultrasound for diagnosis of pleural effusions (excess fluid in the chest cavity)
  • Chest drains for the management of pleural effusions and collapsed lung from a pneumothorax (air in the chest cavity)
  • Pleurodesis and indwelling pleural catheters (IPCs) for management of persistent pleural effusions
  • Pleural biopsies for the investigation of thickened chest cavity lining
  • Intrapleural fibrinolysis — specialist clot busting medicines applied though the chest drain for pleural infection and recurrent effusions.

Virtual Lung Nodule Clinic

If you have a scan which shows a lung nodule, our multi-disciplinary team (MDT) work together to look after you. 

The team might include consultant respiratory physicians, a consultant radiologist and a specialist nurse.

We follow evidence-based national guidelines to help us to decide what to do next with each sort of nodule, and identify any that might need follow up.

Lung nodule leaflet