About the project – Keeping My Chest Healthy

Why is this project important?

Respiratory disease is one of the biggest causes of death for people with a learning disability but many of these deaths are avoidable. Chest infections, pneumonia and aspiration pneumonia are more common for people with learning disabilities.

More about respiratory infections

Chest infection is an infection of the lungs or large airways.

Chest infection – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Pneumonia is a type of chest infection. It affects the tiny air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs.

Pneumonia – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Aspiration pneumonia is caused by food, fluid or saliva entering the lungs

Chest infections and pneumonias can often be avoided by making sure the risk factors that are common for people with learning disabilities are well managed

Meet the project team

Keeping My Chest Healthy is a BDCFT project, created with and for people with learning disabilities.

The team includes people with learning disabilities, their families, carers, and health professionals.

Watch our video below to meet some of the incredible people who helped bring this project to life.

A wide range of professionals from across the MDT have contributed their expertise to support this project, including dietitians, speech and language therapists, nurses, physiotherapists, dental and oral health professionals, and pharmacists.

Some members of the BDCFT Learning Disability Team standing in front of colourful parachute

We want to make sure that you have the knowledge and skills to keep your chest healthy.

We also want to make sure that the people supporting you understand what you need to stay well.

The Keeping My Chest Healthy website

Our website has two key parts:

For you and your family: Our website is packed with short, easy-to-follow videos and guidance on respiratory health and how to stay well. Whether you want to learn how to take care of your chest or to support someone else, you’ll find helpful, practical information here.

This website is designed to be used alongside your Keeping My Chest Healthy Care plan. Please see how to use this site for more information.

For clinical professionals: We offer a dedicated section with CPD-accredited training, an introduction to the Keeping My Chest Healthy process, and all the clinical tools developed to ensure a comprehensive, standardised approach to respiratory care.

Explore the website, watch our videos, and discover how this project can make a difference!

The VirtTuri Avatars

The site uses VirtTuri Avatars to enable information to be shared in different languages. VirtTuri is a next-generation, patented, AI digital assistant that combines market-leading response speed and accuracy with a hyper-realistic avatar interface. This combination is scientifically proven to elevate user engagement and recall of complex information, making it ideal for the healthcare industry and well beyond. VirtTuri’s avatars can reflect any ethnicity, age, or gender, and speak over 120 languages. By addressing crucial challenges such as reducing inequality and improving user adherence, VirtTuri strives to make a meaningful impact on people’s lives.