Life-saving Nottingham respiratory clinic up for national award
A pioneering respiratory clinic, helping to save the lives of people sleeping rough in Nottingham, has been named a finalist in the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Patient Safety Awards 2025.
The clinic, based at the Nottingham Recovery Network Wellbeing Hub on Hounds Gate, is the first of its kind in the UK. It was launched in August 2024 to reach people experiencing rough sleeping or homelessness who are at high risk of premature death from respiratory conditions such as pneumonia, TB, COPD and asthma.
With the average life expectancy of a rough sleeper in the UK just 44 years old, respiratory illness remains one of the leading causes of death. Many people face significant barriers to accessing mainstream healthcare, including difficulties booking appointments and stigma around hospitals.
The Respiratory Rough Sleepers Virtual Ward was designed to bridge this gap—providing hospital-level respiratory care in a safe, accessible environment. Since its launch, the service has not only saved lives but also reduced pressure on emergency departments, ambulance callouts and hospital admissions.
Professor Dominick Shaw, Professor of Respiratory Medicine, said:
“The value of the service is offering hospital-level clinical respiratory care to patients who can’t access that because of multiple reasons: because of deprivation, because of poverty, because of stigma—offering that service in an area they’re comfortable with, giving them treatments that prevent them getting admitted to hospital and improve their chances of breathing properly.”
The project is a partnership between Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, CityCare, Framework, Double Impact, Al-Hurraya, and other community organisations. It has been shortlisted in the category Urgent and Emergency Care Safety Initiative of the Year, with the winners to be announced on 15 September 2025.
“Teamwork makes the dreamwork”
Framework plays a vital role in the initiative by engaging with rough sleepers, encouraging attendance at the clinic, and ensuring follow-up support. Outreach workers often identify potential patients the night before and invite them along, with a small meal voucher to help remove barriers to attending.
Apollos Clifton-Brown, Framework’s Director of Health and Social Care, said:
“The drop-in respiratory clinic is changing and saving the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in Nottingham.
They say teamwork makes the dreamwork, and the respiratory clinic proves the point. This is a partnership that combines the clinical expertise of Nottingham University Hospitals, the resources of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and CityCare, and the vital community engagement and lived experience of organisations such as Double Impact and Al-Hurraya.
Together, we’re making sure people who are too often excluded from healthcare can get the treatment they desperately need. We’re delighted that this work has been recognised nationally—it would be a worthy winner.”
Transforming lives
The impact of the clinic is best seen in the lives of those who use it.
Ross Nixon, 46, has been sleeping rough for three years after leaving prison and struggling with his mental health. At the clinic, he was diagnosed with severe asthma and taught how to use an inhaler properly.
Ross said:
“It’s amazing. I feel so much better—it’s like I’m a different man. Before, I could only walk so far before I was out of breath. I was worried about sleeping in case my breathing would stop. Now I notice the difference every day. I’m just lucky I’ve got workers around me that show me love and help me with everything.”
Another service user said simply:
“Since this clinic visit, my health has been better, a lot better. It’s improved a lot since my younger days when I was struggling to breathe.”
Learn more about the respiratory clinic by watching the video below:
National recognition
The HSJ Patient Safety Awards are now in their 15th year and are regarded as one of the most prestigious healthcare awards in the UK. They shine a spotlight on the teams and individuals working tirelessly to improve patient care and safety.
With the government’s new 10-year healthcare plan arriving in 2025, the awards highlight the importance of innovation, collaboration, and inclusive services like the respiratory clinic in tackling long-standing health inequalities.
To view the full list of finalists and learn more about the HSJ Patient Safety Awards, visit: https://awards.patientsafetycongress.co.uk/