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Modernization of the health service has provided patients with an element of choice with health care, which has enabled parents and carers to carry out treatments such as home intravenous therapy (HIVT). Current literature has highlighted the importance of educational programmes for caregivers when undertaking HIVT. This article provides an overview of a training package, developed at Nottingham City Hospital by the children's respiratory nurses. The package is used to assist parents and carers with HIVT for children and young people with respiratory conditions, in particular, cystic fibrosis. The stages of a training programme are discussed, including details of an audit that demonstrated a good response rate in relation to how useful the training pack was for HIVT.

In the UK, tuberculosis (TB) is on the increase. Miliary TB affects the lungs and can leave lasting damage, and affect a person's quality of life adversely. Healthcare professionals need to co-ordinate services efficiently, to ensure a smooth transition from hospital to home, and ensure there is appropriate support in the community for as long as necessary. In this article, a boy describes his journey through the illness: the associated bewilderment, deterioration, pain, fear and isolation; the emergencies; the prolonged but effective treatment; the care he received; and the support of his family. On discharge, he was still breathless and found it difficult to adapt to home life but, with thorough planning of his support with healthcare professionals, parents and relevant agencies, he was able to get back to school and continue his education.

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