We have a chance to improve lung health outcomes in England. We know what we need to do. We need a Modern Service Framework for Respiratory to do it. 

Over the last fifty years, improvements in lung health in England have not kept pace with what’s possible. Too many people are still struggling to breathe while the services designed to support them remain under pressure. This is the result of long-term under-resourcing and a lack of prioritisation, but we now have a chance to change that.

Why lung health can’t wait:

Respiratory impacts one in five of us, yet continues to be left behind.

• Emergency admissions for respiratory conditions in England have risen by 7% in the last year.
• Respiratory conditions cost the NHS in England over £9 billion every year.
• Dismal numbers of patients receive the basic care and support they need to manage their condition well.
• Lung health is also deeply tied to inequality. People in the most deprived communities in England are nearly five times more likely to die from COPD than those in the least deprived. Children from deprived areas or minority ethnic backgrounds are up to four times more likely to die from asthma.

These are not just statistics; these are lives devastated by lung conditions, which could be prevented with sufficient prioritisation by the government.

The solution: A Modern Service Framework for Respiratory:

The government’s 10-Year Health Plan has committed to introducing Modern Service Frameworks to drive improvement across major conditions.

These will set out the most effective, evidence-based interventions, and provide clear standards, best practice pathways and support for consistent delivery across the country.

But while cardiovascular disease, cancer and mental health have received such commitments, respiratory care, England’s third biggest killer, has not.

That’s why the Taskforce for Lung Health is calling on the Department of Health and Social Care to commit to an MSF for respiratory.

To set out the case clearly, the Taskforce has produced a sector-backed consensus statement outlining why an MSF for respiratory is urgently needed and the impact it could have.

You can read the full Taskforce for Lung Health consensus statement here.

A Modern Service Framework for Respiratory would set out the most effective, evidence-based interventions to improve outcomes, reduce emergency admissions and tackle deep-rooted inequalities.

There are proven interventions ready to scale: pulmonary rehabilitation, supported self-management, spirometry, lung cancer screening and equitable access to treatments such as biologics and antifibrotics.

A Modern Service Framework for Respiratory would ensure these are delivered consistently across the country, relieving pressure on the NHS and improving quality of life for millions.

What is next:

We have seen what’s possible when lung health is prioritised, from cystic fibrosis breakthroughs that have extended lives by decades to lung cancer screening that catches thousands of cases early.

But progress remains uneven, and people with lung conditions cannot wait any longer.

As the next step in calling for a Modern Service Framework for respiratory, the Taskforce is developing a blueprint outlining the key interventions, gaps and priorities that such a framework should include.

If you’d like to hear more or be involved in this work, please get in touch at taskforce@asthmaandlung.org.uk.