The Integrated Multi-Disciplinary Respiratory Team rose above strong national competition to pick up the Health Service Journal 2021 award in the Best Pharmaceutical Partnership with the NHS category.

The initiative was set up as a pilot to improve the care of patients in Oxfordshire through identification of respiratory disease, such as COPD and asthma, enhancing holistic and end of life care and providing extra focus on people at risk of emergency hospital admissions.

Through increased partnership working the team enhanced existing community, hospital-based and primary care by providing a consultant to work in the community alongside additional respiratory nurses and physiotherapists working with GPs, a dedicated psychologist, a pharmacist, dedicated smoke-free advisor from Smokefreelife Oxfordshire (the county council’s stop smoking service partner) and a specialist in palliative care support.

Oxford Health’s Community respiratory team (pictured), pharmacy and IAPT services were all closely involved alongside partners which include the Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Oxfordshire County Council. Pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim was involved in discussions during the development of the project.

The project, which was jointly funded by CCG and Boehringer Ingelheim, was staffed by NHS clinicians and other professionals from the partnership. Local NHS healthcare professionals provided all clinical care and support.

Jodie Summers, Oxford Health’s Senior Operational Manager for the Community Respiratory Team said:

“This is fantastic news as work being done locally in Oxfordshire is receiving a national profile.

“The IRT project was a new way of working that we will learn from, and embed best practice in the service for the future. By working closely with our NHS partners and experts in the pharmaceutical industry we are hoping to see ongoing benefits.

“Our aim going forward is for this work to improve all round patient care by increasing the resources available in the community and primary care setting, including mental health, public health and palliative support where required. We believe this model of working could be adopted by other services providing care for patients with long term conditions.

We aim to be able to provide more care at home and closer to home to reduce the risk of people having to be admitted to hospital and to improve their ongoing symptoms.”