Merton Respiratory Pathway Transformation Fund Pilot

Background  

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of emergency hospital admission in the UK every winter and is a key clinical area within the NHS Core20PLUS5 framework for tackling healthcare inequalities. Asthma is also a common but frequently underdiagnosed respiratory condition, contributing to avoidable exacerbations, hospital admissions, and mortality. The National Review of Asthma Deaths found that 30% of people who died had only ever been diagnosed with mild asthma.

The Merton Pathway Transformation Fund is one of eight sites selected nationally to:

• Increase access to early and accurate COPD and asthma diagnostics;
• Proactively identify and optimise at-risk COPD patients over winter;
• Better connect patients with wider support services such as fuel poverty and housing support.

Project overview

Merton Health CIC successfully secured NHS England funding through the Pathway Transformation Fund to trial a new and innovative approach to respiratory diagnostics and COPD management in Merton.

The project will establish three respiratory diagnostic hubs, located specifically in areas of deprivation. Sites will use a targeted risk search to identify patients with COPD who are most at risk of deterioration over winter and invite them for an enhanced review in their local area.

In addition to diagnostic assessment, patients will be supported to access wider services such as pulmonary rehabilitation, fuel poverty support and social prescribing. Both the diagnostic and optimisation pathways will benefit from specialist support from Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust  and St George’s Hospital.

The project aims to increase the number of confirmed asthma and COPD diagnoses and reduce the rate of avoidable COPD admissions over winter 2025/26.

The Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London are providing project management support alongside Merton Health. The project will contribute to a national evaluation led by Health Innovation Oxford & Thames Valley. This forms part of the wider Respiratory Transformation Partnership, a two-year national programme involving all 15 Health Innovation Networks to improve access to respiratory diagnostics, optimise asthma and COPD management, and expand access to asthma and COPD biologics.