New coalition will transform the lives of thousands with respiratory disease
Health Minister Dr Zubir Ahmed today launched an ambitious new national coalition which will speed up diagnosis, improve treatment and transform the lives of thousands of people affected by asthma and lung disease.
The Respiratory Transformation Partnership (RTP) brings together health innovation networks alongside NHS systems, four major industry partners (AstraZeneca, Chiesi, GSK and Sanofi), the Office for Life Sciences, NHS England, professional bodies and the third sector to address unmet need and make better use of innovative treatments and technology.
The Minister said: “Too many people with asthma and lung disease end up rushed to hospital when, with the right care and support, that admission could have been avoided entirely. For far too long these patients have been let down because of a broken system. This government is bringing together the NHS, industry and local health innovation networks to make sure patients get the treatment they need, closer to home, before their condition reaches crisis point.
“This £10 million partnership is a concrete example of what our reform agenda looks like in practice - shifting care out of hospitals and into communities, using data to reach patients who have been missed, and working hand-in-hand with industry to get the best treatments to the people who need them most.”
Professor Ben Bridgewater, Executive Chair of the Health Innovation Network, said: “Through the implementation of this innovative partnership working in local communities across the country patient outcomes will be improved, and national productivity gains can be made. This programme will create a practical blueprint of how innovation and collaboration can deliver better outcomes for patients while reducing pressure on hospitals and driving economic growth.”
Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley (HIOTV) is leading the programme on behalf of the Health Innovation Network. HIOTV Chief Executive Professor Gary Ford said: “Respiratory disease places an enormous burden on patients, families and the NHS, yet we know that earlier diagnosis and better long-term management can make a transformative difference.
“The Respiratory Transformation Partnership brings together the NHS, industry, innovators and patient groups to tackle these challenges collectively, using data, diagnostics and new technologies to redesign how care is delivered. By working across partners and systems we can support earlier identification of disease, improve access to effective treatments and help people manage their conditions closer to home.
"Health Innovation Oxford and Thames Valley is proud to be leading the Respiratory Transformation Partnership on behalf of the Health Innovation Network.”
PCRS Executive Chair, Darush Attar-Zadeh said: “It’s incredibly encouraging to see the launch of the Respiratory Transformation Partnership. By bringing together the NHS, life sciences, industry and patient groups, and recognising the vital role of primary care, this initiative has real potential to reduce avoidable respiratory illness—starting with asthma and COPD—and prevent unnecessary hospital admissions. Through better use of data, diagnostics and innovation, it offers a powerful opportunity to transform care, with the ambition of creating a national blueprint that can be rolled out aligned with the NHS 10-year plan.”
Dr Katherine Hickman, PCRS Neighbourhood Health Lead said: "This partnership has real potential, particularly if it is anchored in neighbourhood health. Respiratory disease is largely managed in primary care, so success will depend on equipping local teams with the diagnostics, data and workforce capacity to act earlier. Through PCRS’s neighbourhood work, we know that shifting care closer to communities is what will truly reduce exacerbations and hospital admissions."
The RTP aligns with the government’s three strategic shifts: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from crisis treatment to proactive prevention through earlier and more accurate diagnosis alongside better long-term management.
Using COPD to demonstrate best neighbourhood health and outcomes
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