Publish date: 3 March 2025
New lung health service delivers clear benefits for people in recovery
A significant drop in hospital attendances and admissions has been one of the benefits to come from an innovative project to support drug and alcohol users in Northumberland.
Just as important was the respiratory in-reach service’s ability to engage with these patients, who often face barriers and stigma in accessing healthcare as well as inequalities in outcomes.
The service from Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is provided at Northumberland Recovery Partnership (NRP) clinics. It launched in 2023.
It sees patients receiving treatment for addiction and problems with alcohol or drug use, who have high rates of undiagnosed and undertreated disease, and high reliance on emergency services.
The innovative design includes keyworkers identifying patients with respiratory symptoms using a customised questionnaire. Travel and incentives are provided.
Patients have lung function tests with a physiologist, consultant assessment to confirm diagnosis and treatment, and education, support and issue of therapy by specialist nurses. This is all completed at one visit in a familiar environment.
More clinics are planned, but a review has demonstrated the impact the service has had.
Across 25 clinics, 134 new patients were seen. Around half received a new respiratory diagnosis. If you include those who already had a diagnosis, but needed further treatment, it rises to nearly three-quarters of those seen.
For the patients who attended the clinic between May 2023 and October 2024, attendances to the emergency department dropped by 49% and hospital admissions came down by 52.9%.
Feedback from patients has shone a light on how valuable the approach has been, as the in-reach approach avoided some of the barriers to appointments such as travel and digital access.
Both service users and staff found the clinic taking place in a familiar and supportive environment with the NRP to be a real benefit. Patients also welcomed having plenty of time to ask questions and learn about their condition, saying they had never had that opportunity before.
One man said: "It’s been very open today, everything’s been explained, every step, even why you’re taking the breath tests, which is massive for me because I suffer from anxiety…instead of just do it and then I have questions in my head which later when I’ve left, I want to ask you know, massive difference…there was no time limit with the doctor, with the professor…normally with a doctor its limited…and the nurses have explained the machines."
Another said: "I’m getting more things done today than I have done at my doctors, I’m getting an ECG, I’m getting two inhalers, I’m going to try a bit of exercise…I’ll be back, he’s made an appointment for a month’s time and I’m getting new medication that I’ve never had so that will be a big help…I just didn’t think I would get as much done today as what I have done today by so many people, the service has been great."
Project lead Professor Stephen Bourke, a consultant respiratory physician at Northumbria Healthcare, said: "I am delighted that the early signs of success have continued throughout the project and that our approach of taking services to these patients, rather than waiting for them to come to us, has paid off.
"The reduction in hospital and emergency attendances is important, but I am most encouraged by the feedback from those involved and how we have helped this group of patients by providing healthcare that works for them."
The Northumberland Recovery Partnership is managed by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne & Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW).
Chrissy Kurek, clinical manager at CNTW, said: "We continue to see excellent results from the respiratory clinic, working closely with our Northumbria Healthcare colleagues to ensure that this resource is used effectively.
"We have delivered clinics to more rural areas, which is essential as some of our service users live in more challenging geographical areas and find it difficult to attend appointments.
"We have received fantastic feedback from service users, which is really encouraging. It’s a pleasure to work so closely with our colleagues in Northumbria Healthcare and see the positive impact the service has had."
This project has been funded by the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care System Health Inequalities Fund, administered by Northumberland County Council Public Health.
Dr Jim Brown, deputy director of public health at Northumberland County Council, said: "This is a great example of teams coming together to meet the needs of a group of Northumberland residents with many health problems.
"Their impact on people’s lives has been huge, with the added benefit that they are helping to reduce pressures on the emergency department and hospital. I would like to thank all the staff involved and to the service users for giving their feedback."
Media contact
Ben O’Connell, external communications manager, Northumbria Healthcare
Benjamin.O'Connell@northumbria-healthcare.nhs.uk or 07833 046680.