About bronchiectasis | Right Decisions

Please update your RDS mobile app to version 4.7.1

We are pleased to advise that deep linking capability, enabling users to directly download individual mobile toolkits, has now been released on the RDS mobile app. When you install the update, you will see that each toolkit has a small QR code icon the header area beside the search icon – see screenshot below. Clicking on this icon will open up a window with a full-size QR code and the alternative of a short URL for sharing with users. Instructions are provided.

You may need to actively install the update to install RDS app version 4.7.1 to see this improvement. Installing this update is also strongly recommended to get the full benefits of the new contingency arrangements – specifically, that if the RDS website should fail, you will still be able to download new mobile app toolkits.

To check your current RDS version, click on the three dots bottom right of the RDS app screen. This takes you to a “More” page where you will see the version number. To install latest updates:

On iPhones – go to the Apple store, click on your profile icon top right, scroll down to see the apps waiting to be updated and update the RDS app.

On Android phones – these can vary, but try going to the Google Play store, click on your profile icon top right, click on “Manage apps and device”, select and update the RDS app.

Please get in touch with ann.wales3@nhs.scot with any questions.

Repeated lower respiratory tract infections can be caused by a range of clinical conditions.
Bronchiectasis is characterised by the radiological finding of dilated, non-tapering bronchi with thickened walls on a high-resolution Computerised Tomography (CT) scan of the thorax.
The associated clinical syndrome is characterised by frequent, usually daily, sputum production and repeated lower respiratory tract infections.
It has become evident, however, that the clinical syndrome can be present in the absence of the characteristic CT findings – this clinical syndrome has become known, variably, as Persistent Bacterial Bronchitis, Chronic Bronchial Sepsis, and Bronchiectasis with a normal CT scan.
Severity of radiological bronchiectasis does not correlate well with the severity of symptoms, and a holistic approach should be taken with assessment of bronchiectasis severity, with a number of validated scoring systems available e.g. The Bronchiectasis Severity Score.⁶¹
Guidance for referral to secondary care can be found in the BTS Guideline for Bronchiectasis in Adults.⁶²