Asthma + Lung UK has appointed the first Respiratory Champions for a brand-new programme aiming to improve care and outcomes for people living with lung conditions.
1 in 5 people will have a respiratory condition in their lifetime. As such, respiratory conditions have been identified as a national healthcare priority as laid out in the NHS Long Term Plan, Core20plus5 strategy and the Life Sciences Vision. The Respiratory Champions will be well-placed to ensure that respiratory care is prioritised by ICSs to ensure people living with lung conditions receive equitable and timely access to the best care.
This pilot programme, supported by a grant from AstraZeneca, will enable these healthcare professionals to dedicate one day a week for 12 months to a specific leadership role, working alongside local healthcare communities and people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The champions will play a pivotal role in optimising local healthcare policies, care pathways and clinical practices to deliver improvements to people with lung conditions.
The pilot programme received many high-quality applications from across disciplines and from across the country, demonstrating the importance healthcare professionals place on improving respiratory health and outcomes.
Those who have been successfully appointed as the first Respiratory Champions are:
- Deborah Leese, Lead Pharmacist for Respiratory in Sheffield and Co-Clinical lead for Children and Young Peoples Asthma across South Yorkshire, is dedicated to ensuring that individuals with asthma and COPD receive, and are able to use, the safest, most effective, and environmentally friendly treatments.
- Maria Eurton, Respiratory Nurse Specialist for Hampshire and Isle of Wight, plans to implement a project leading to more timely reviews for people with COPD and asthma post exacerbation, to reduce hospital admissions and minimise the risk of future exacerbations
- Matthew Swallow, GP and respiratory clinical lead in Birmingham and Solihull, wants to improve access to diagnostic hubs and to upskill staff performing diagnostics. He also aims to improve the links between primary and secondary care.
- Sharada Gudur, Respiratory Consultant Physician for Lancashire and South Cumbria, is passionate about teaching other health care professionals, and tackling health inequalities for people with lung conditions in her area.
- Victoria Campbell, Respiratory Nurse Consultant for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, leads a large community based respiratory team and is passionate to support people with lung conditions who can be hard to reach, including those with learning disabilities, those who are homeless or those in prison.
- Samantha Hayes, Consultant Respiratory Physiotherapist for Cheshire and Merseyside, is keen to look at how pulmonary rehabilitation uptake can be encouraged among people who would benefit from it. As well as how to make sure people get the right choice of medicines, at the right time and are engaged in the process by their prescribing healthcare professional.
If the pilot is a success, Asthma + Lung UK is keen to extend the programme to include more ICSs, expand into the Devolved Nations and cover a wider range of respiratory conditions.
Henry Gregg, Director of External Affairs at Asthma + Lung UK, said: “The charity is thrilled to welcome our six new Respiratory Champions. Their expertise and passion will be instrumental in improving lung health across England. Together we can shine a light on better lung health and ensure that people with lung conditions like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) receive the best possible care and support.”
Dr Ed Piper, VP Medical & Scientific Affairs Director, AstraZeneca UK, said: “We’re delighted to see the Respiratory Champions pilot programme go live across England with the appointment of six healthcare professionals committed to transforming care for people living with respiratory conditions. We welcome the opportunity to work with Asthma + Lung UK to support this programme, which will support the optimisation of pathways and clinical practice. We strongly believe that partnerships between clinicians, patient groups and industry is key to unlocking better outcomes and we very much look forward to the impact of this innovative programme.”
Asthma + Lung UK remains committed in its mission to create a world where everyone breathes freely and are confident that the Respiratory Champions programme will be a major step forward in achieving this goal.