Homepage Keeping My Chest Healthy

From Pilot to Progress – KMCH Gains Momentum

2 women in the studio

We’re pleased to share an update on the pilot phase of the Keeping My Chest Healthy (KMCH) pathway developed by Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Earlier this year, three NHS Trusts in the North of England were selected to take part in piloting the KMCH resources:

The pilot aimed to explore how the KMCH pathway could be implemented and adapted in different local contexts. Each site received access to the full suite of KMCH tools, including the respiratory screening tool, holistic assessment, care planning templates, and a CPD-accredited training programme, featuring a series of filmed sessions recorded by the Bradford team.

Two women in the film studio
We’ve been in the TV studio recording sessions on every aspect of Keeping My Chest Healthy.

We’re pleased to report that the first phase of piloting is now complete. All four pilot sites have shared detailed and constructive feedback, which has already informed improvements to the clinical tools and is shaping the next phase of development. This input has been instrumental in refining the pathway and supporting plans for wider implementation.

One of the pilot partners, Tracey Hartley-Smith from the Lancashire All Age Learning Disability Team, shared the following reflections:

“We were proud to be early adopters of the Keeping My Chest Healthy pathway developed by Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust. As part of the pilot phase, we had the opportunity to access the excellent CPD training and were generously supported with access to the full suite of resources, including the respiratory screening tool, holistic assessment, and care planning documents.”

“The structured, evidence-informed model developed by Bradford enabled us to establish our own multi-disciplinary respiratory clinics here in Lancashire, directly following their example. This has had a clear and positive impact on the quality of care we are able to offer to people with learning disabilities and respiratory needs. It has also aligned perfectly with our ongoing Healthy Lungs project, creating a more joined-up and preventative approach to respiratory health.”

“The collaboration and support we have received from the Bradford team has been exceptional. This shared learning experience has led to meaningful cross-regional partnership working, which we hope to continue building on. The Keeping My Chest Healthy project is an excellent example of innovation, co-production, and practical application making a real difference to patient care.”

– Tracey Hartley-Smith (she/her)
Consultant Nurse for Children and Young People with Learning Disabilities
Associate Director of Nursing, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust

The KMCH pathway continues to demonstrate the value of a preventative, proactive approach to respiratory health, helping to reduce hospital admissions, enable earlier intervention, and support more coordinated care for people with learning disabilities.

We’re incredibly grateful to our pilot partners for their commitment, insight, and shared ambition to improve respiratory care in this population.

Next steps: Building on this early success, we will continue working with pilot sites to develop sustainable models and explore opportunities for wider adoption across health systems.