TY - JOUR T1 - Providing bespoke equipment adaptations to promote independence and quality of life for users of long term ventilation (LTV) JF - ERJ Open Research JO - erjor DO - 10.1183/23120541.RFMVC-2020.49 VL - 6 IS - suppl 4 SP - 49 AU - Alison Armstrong AU - Graham Henderson Y1 - 2020/02/13 UR - http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/6/suppl_4/49.abstract N2 - Patients who receive long-term ventilation (LTV) often have significant physical disability as a result of their underlying condition. With any life-sustaining therapy, consideration should be given to the burden of treatment, with a focus on promoting patient independence and quality of life, and not just survival. Our objective is to provide bespoke equipment adaptation to ensure that independence, and subsequently quality of life, is maintained for patients receiving LTV. The Assisted Ventilation Service in Newcastle-upon-Tyne has strong links with the Regional Technical Aid Service, who provide custom design solutions.  These solutions range from adapting wheelchairs to carry respiratory equipment, through to custom design of control interfaces.  Timely referrals are submitted so that equipment can be adapted to enable independence. This ensures that receiving long-term ventilation does not have a negative impact on patients’ quality of life, or increases their already high level of dependence on others for many aspects of their care. We present case studies where bespoke adaptations have been made to ventilators, as well as associated equipment. Each case is individual and requires a careful design process that manages the risks and complies with relevant standards. The adaptations have allowed patients to maintain a level of independence, by facilitating their autonomous use of their respiratory equipment. Being able to maintain independence is extremely important to this patient group. Feedback from the patients has shown the bespoke adaptations to their respiratory equipment to be instrumental in improving their quality of life.FootnotesCite this article as: ERJ Open Research 2020; 6: Suppl. 4, 49.This is an ERS Respiratory Failure and Mechanical Ventilation Conference abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only). ER -