A new service has been launched for people with breathing problems in order to reduce hospital admissions.

The Community Respiratory Service is aimed at giving people the skills and knowledge to stay in control of lung disease and out of hospital.

A team of experts at Scunthorpe General Hospital has launched the new service aimed at patients needing oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation.

The service will provide personalised care as well as ensuring patients have access to a oxygen therapy assessment service and knowledge to cope with lung disease at home.

Respiratory consultant Dr Stuart Baugh said: "By providing effective prevention, we can hopefully reduce acute episodes of illness, be able to treat people in the community and prevent hospital admission."

The service itself focuses on two areas – oxygen therapy and pulmonary rehabilitation.

The oxygen therapy consists of people receiving follow-up care in their own home, where they will be offered support and regular reassessment of their oxygen requirements.

The patients who are housebound will also have access to the oxygen therapy assessment service.

Andrea Gough, lead respiratory specialist nurse at Scunthorpe General Hospital, said: "Previously, people requiring oxygen therapy would be assessed in the hospital and oxygen would be provided.

"Unfortunately, there was not the facility to follow people up in the community to provide support."

In addition to this, the hospital-based pulmonary rehabilitation service will extend into the community with sessions being held for patients at The Pods leisure centre in Scunthorpe.

Donald Rawlings, 76, of Newland Avenue, is a patient currently receiving the respiratory service provided by Scunthorpe General Hospital.

He was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 17 years ago – and is looking forward to visiting hospital less regularly under the new scheme.

"The new system looks even better and it will be magic not to visit the hospital so often," he said.