COPD Action Plan reduces anxiety and potential hospital visits for Brian
24 March 2025
Cooma resident Brian Warner says having a COPD Action Plan is helpful and reduces anxiety.
"It helps the brain that you don’t get so stressed out worrying, because it’s there," he says.
“It makes me feel like I’m more in control, that if I do have an attack and really have trouble breathing I can grab the antibiotics straight away, I don’t have to wait to try to get in to see a doctor or get down to the hospital or whatever, I’ve got them ready to go," explains Brian.
Brian uses an oxygen machine 16 hours a day and was hospitalised six weeks ago when he had difficulty breathing.
"They kept me in hospital for three days and gave me oxygen. I was having such difficulty breathing, I think they gave me four types of antibiotics in the first hour," said Brian.
Following his hospital stay his GP and LinkMyCare – COPD nurse (based in Southern New South Wales Local Health District) helped develop a COPD Action Plan, a simple guide that helps people manage symptoms of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
"I haven't had another attack since I got the COPD Action Plan but the idea of it is that I don’t have to go to hospital again.
The plan helps Brian know what medicines to take every day, what to do if he feels worse, and when to get medical help.
Brian learnt of the benefits of a COPD Action Plan through LinkMyCare - COPD, a program that is being rolled out in South Eastern NSW over the next 18 months.
LinkMyCare – COPD provides resources for general practitioners (GPs) to support patients to manage their condition in the community and access the services they need without travelling far from home or paying out-of-pocket costs.
The program also supports patients at the transition point between hospital and general practice, reducing the likelihood of a re-presentation to hospital and improving the information flow between a patient’s GP and the care team within the hospital.
LinkMyCare – COPD has been co-designed by the South Eastern NSW Strategic Partnership which consists of Southern NSW Local Health District (LHD), Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD and COORDINARE - South Eastern NSW Primary Health Network. The program has been funded by NSW Health.
Read more about the LinkMyCare program here.
View a COPD Action Plan here.