First Community achieves prestigious Pulmonary Rehabilitation accreditation
First Community has successfully achieved accreditation under the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services Accreditation Scheme (PRSAS).
Following a rigorous assessment visit on 29 April 2025, the Pulmonary Rehabilitation service was recognised for meeting nationally recognised standards of excellence in the care and support of people living with long-term respiratory conditions.
The PRSAS accreditation is a highly respected quality standard that recognises services delivering safe, effective and patient-centred pulmonary rehabilitation. Achieving five-year accreditation is a significant achievement and reflects the dedication, professionalism and teamwork shown across the service.
The assessment report from the Royal College of Physicians noted the following summary, "The Pulmonary Rehabilitation team are incredibly passionate about the work they do, which is driven by the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Lead, who is an asset to the team and First Community.
"Excellent leadership was one of the overwhelming strengths of this assessment, creating a positive work culture, which was reported by every member of staff and evident by the visibility of the leadership team at the site visit."
This achievement also highlights the organisations' ongoing commitment to continuous improvement. Accredited services are reviewed annually, ensuring that quality, safety and patient experience remain at the heart of everything First Community does.
Allison Kandiah, Clinical Lead for Long Term Conditions Support Services said, "We are incredibly proud to have achieved PRSAS accreditation. This reflects the hard work and commitment of our whole team and, most importantly, our focus on delivering high-quality, compassionate care that makes a real difference to our patients' lives.
"A huge thank you to all staff who were involved in the assessment process and our patients, whose feedback and engagement continue to shape and strengthen the service."
Pulmonary rehabilitation plays a vital role in helping people with chronic lung disease improve their fitness, manage breathlessness and maintain independence. This accreditation provides assurance that patients accessing the service are receiving care that meets the highest national standards.
You can find out more about the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Services Accreditation Scheme here: www.prsas.org.
Find out about First Community's Pulmonary Rehabilitation team here.
(Pictured left to right: Allison Kandiah, Clinical Lead for Long Term Conditions Support Services, Sue Longley, Pulmonary Rehabilitation & Respiratory Physiotherapy Team Lead - holding the PRSAS certification and Bhavinkumar Nayee, Rehabilitation Assistant).