Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients at Heartlands Hospital are benefitting from a new online service aimed at improving interaction amongst young patients.

The site, developed by the West Midlands Adult CF Centre, offers patients the chance to join discussion forums to interact with other patients. The site is made even easier for patients to logon with the use of laptops within their inpatient room.

Patients can also access information about the facilities available from the centre and can download video clips, view staff podcasts, and sign up to a quarterly newsletter.

Steve Williams, patient and website development team member said: “As a sufferer of CF I know how important it is to have access this sort of information. The website provides a wealth of information about the CF Centre for patients. It also provides useful information for patient’s families and carers, some of whom may not attend the CF Centre but want to know about its facilities, and can find answers to their concerns or make contact with someone to raise a concern or share an experience.”

Elaine Chapman, CF centre manager, said: “This new site is a great way for our patients to access further information about their condition and talk to other sufferers. Previously CF patients were unable to interact due to cross infection issues, this new site allows them to interact without this risk.”

The CF centre opened six years ago and is now a centre of excellence for CF treatment. The majority of patients treated in the centre are young adults. Funding for the new site came from drug company Novartis.

For more information about CF visit the new site at www.heartlandscf.org