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Pathway Transformation Fund 2: Supporting former mining communities

The Respiratory Transformation Partnership is addressing the unique challenges faced by former mining communities.

A new NHS England Pathway Transformation Fund (PTF) totalling £1 million is being invested in six former coalfield areas in the Midlands and north of England. This initiative was referenced in the Men’s Health Strategy for England published in November 2025. It aims to address health inequalities, prioritise earlier diagnosis and optimise condition management. 

 

Emerging themes

Emerging themes 1-3

Health inequalities are central Mining communities face entrenched structural disadvantage, not just higher disease prevalence.
Diagnosis is the gateway to everything else Earlier, accessible diagnosis is the critical lever to improve outcomes, reduce hospital admissions and address unmet need.
Care must move out of hospitals Moving testing and treatment closer to home is essential to improve access and engagement.

Emerging themes 4-6

Trust and identity matter Adopting a community-centred approach which focuses on mining identity, history and pride, building on trusted relationships, and using familiar non-clinical locations, established channels of communication and everyday language.
Respiratory disease is not just biomedical Consistently addressing mental health, social support and deprivation alongside spirometry and medication.
This is about system change, not pilots Co-designing services with communities to ensure they are relevant, respectful, accessible and sustainable.

Six locations

East Midlands: Nottingham, led by Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Clinical lead: Dr Daniel Smith)

North East North Cumbria: Durham, led by NENC ICB (Clinical lead: Julia Elliott)

North West Coast: St Helens, led by University Hospitals of Liverpool Group (Clinical lead: Dr Paul Walker)

West Midlands: Staffordshire and Derbyshire, led by University Hospital of North Midlands (Clinical lead: Dr Ajit Thomas)

Yorkshire & Humber: Wakefield, led by Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Clinical Lead: Dr Sarah Boot) and Woodhouse Colliery, led by Sheffield Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (Clinical lead: Dr Laura Macfarlane)

Last update: 1st April 2026 at 14:28