A pioneering respiratory project in Hull is supporting the timely diagnosis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), helping hundreds of people access life-changing care.
Since launching in September 2023, the FRONTIER project has reviewed 1,117 patients who have consented to the use of their data and diagnosed COPD in 576 people – almost half of all those assessed.
The project has now won the Excellence in Patient Care award from the Royal College of Physicians in the Sickness to Prevention category. This recognised its innovative approach to preventative healthcare.
Supported through a collaborative working project between Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust and Chiesi Ltd, a biopharmaceutical company, the project has used patient data from the Hull Lung Health study. From this data set, hosted by the University of Hull with the Yorkshire & Humber Secure Data Environment (SDE), it identified people at high risk of undiagnosed COPD during Lung Cancer Screening appointments and offered rapid access to diagnosis, treatment and support in a single visit.
Nick Deayton, NHS Humber Health Partnership, is the project manager for the FRONTIER project. He said: “Using the NHS Secure Data Environment (SDE) and partnering with the University of Hull has been fundamentally important to this piece of work.
“The FRONTIER project is a great example of collaborative working and how we have really developed the capability of this data. By partnering with a number of organisations and using the NHS Secure Data Environment (SDE), we can make real differences to people’s lives.
“The project represents a major step forward in shifting respiratory healthcare from reactive treatment to prevention and early intervention, ensuring more patients receive the right care at the right time.”
COPD is a progressive lung disease that often remains undiagnosed until symptoms become severe. Hull has one of the highest smoking rates in England and is the fourth most deprived local authority in the country*, meaning many people live with undetected respiratory disease and poor access to preventative healthcare.
Before FRONTIER was introduced, patients showing signs of emphysema during lung screening frequently received no further assessment, leading to missed opportunities for early intervention. The FRONTIER model has changed that.
Using routinely collected health data, the specialist multi-disciplinary team proactively contacts people with signs of emphysema or respiratory symptoms who have no existing COPD diagnosis. Patients attend a dedicated “one-stop” clinic where they receive comprehensive testing, including advanced spirometry, immediate clinical review, smoking cessation advice and referral into pulmonary rehabilitation where appropriate.
The project has uncovered significant unmet need:
- One quarter of newly diagnosed patients had previously been treated repeatedly for “chest infections”
- Half of patients diagnosed were current smokers
- More than 60% of eligible patients accepted referral to pulmonary rehabilitation
More details about the FRONTIER project can be found on the website of Chiesi Ltd.