Who are we?

• We are a group of stakeholders, including people with respiratory conditions and health professionals, who want to improve respiratory care for people in Cheshire and Merseyside and Lancashire and South Cumbria.

• Formed in 2020, the network’s primary purpose is to reduce variation in delivery of care and support the sharing of best practice across regions and across the country. The network provides a strong foundation to manage the demand for respiratory services, reduce pressures on the healthcare system, and support the implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan objectives.
• Each team is led by a Clinical Lead. For the Cheshire and Merseyside team, this is Dr Sarah Sibley, Consultant Chest Physician at Liverpool Heart and Chest NHS Foundation Trust and for Lancashire and South Cumbria the Clinical Leads are Dr Stuart Berry, GP Partner and Clinical Lead for East Lancashire and Dr Sharada Gudur, Consultant in Respiratory Medicine, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

What are our aims?

• Our aim is to provide a strong infrastructure for an integrated model of respiratory services that are sustainable for the future. Working to improve the lung health of our population through the implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan and to work with our colleagues across the health system to identify and support areas where respiratory care requires improvement.
• Restoration of respiratory services based on the NHS Long Term Plan priorities for early and accurate diagnosis, medicines optimisations, community acquired pneumonia and pulmonary rehabilitation – adapted to the COVID-19 environment for remote monitoring and care closer to home.
• Targeting interventions in areas of high deprivation, lower socioeconomic groups and those with complex health needs, with an aim of reducing health inequalities.

How do we do it?

• Networking and partnership working to identify where improvements can be made.
• Establishing best practice and developing materials such as pathways, recommendations and resources that can be adopted by clinicians and commissioners.
• Using pilots to evidence best practice and shared learning.
• Promoting practice change by supporting implementation of local proposals.
• Our future vision is preventing people developing lung disease, identifying those who may have lung disease earlier, and more accurately, so they can receive the best care, and ensuring those with lung disease are managed well. This should be delivered in an equitable and sustainable manner across the North West.

 How can I get involved?

We recognise that patients, ex-patients, carers or members of the public with an interest in respiratory services play an important role in helping to shape the Clinical Networks’ projects.

If you would like to get involved, please email alison.duxbury2@nhs.net or alexander.challands@nhs.net for further information.