- Rapid access to therapy equipment eases hospital pressures and supports patients to manage conditions independently at home
- Comes as latest figures from NHS England show an average of 1,717 patients in a hospital bed every day last week due to flu, the highest on record for this time of year, and more than 50% higher than the last year
London, December 2025 – Leading corporate services provider, NHS Shared Business Services (NHS SBS), has unveiled its latest Respiratory Therapy Solutions framework agreement, enabling organisations to quickly acquire essential equipment like non‑invasive ventilators, sleep therapy devices and airway clearance systems, for patients to use at home.
Respiratory disease affects one in five people in England, is the third biggest cause of death nationally, and costs the NHS £11bn annually. Moreover, hospital admissions for lung disease have risen at three times the rate of all admissions, whilst the latest figures from NHS England show the NHS is facing an unprecedented flu wave this winter with no peak in sight yet.
“As winter sets in, colds, flu, and seasonal viruses put extra strain on hospitals across the UK. For people living with long‑term respiratory conditions like asthma, COPD, or sleep apnoea, the risks are even greater,” says Lynne Gray, Category Manager – Health, NHS SBS.
“Our framework agreement supports the NHS and other organisations in their duty of care, helping patients and communities to stay healthy and manage conditions safely and independently at home.”
The framework agreement includes remote monitoring to manage conditions, home re-supply and compliance reporting, easing pressure on NHS clinics and supporting national priorities like the NHS’s 10‑Year Health Plan’s core component of the new care model, from hospital to community.
Use of the framework agreement is not limited to the NHS. Council-run care homes, local authorities, emergency services and wider public sector organisations can also access solutions at pace and compliantly from the list of fully checked and approved suppliers, ensuring continuity of care across communities and extending support to vulnerable groups beyond hospital settings.
Gray concludes:
“By moving care into the community, we can help reduce avoidable A&E visits, easing pressure on hospital beds and frontline staff during the busiest time of year.”
For more information, contact the NHS SBS team at: sbs.hello@nhs.net.
