BreathTec, an innovative digital self-management programme for people living with respiratory conditions, has been recognised internationally for its contribution to sustainable healthcare.
The solution recently won the Abstract for Sustainability Award at the prestigious European Respiratory Society Congress 2025, highlighting its potential to transform respiratory care while reducing healthcare system pressures.
About BreathTec
BreathTec is an interactive, personalised digital platform designed to help patients manage breathlessness, maintain physical activity, and support mental health. Developed in collaboration with patients, carers, and healthcare professionals, the programme empowers individuals to take control of their condition through evidence-based strategies.
Early evaluations, supported by Asthma & Lung UK and Humanly, show that BreathTec significantly reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, improves quality of life, and helps patients manage their respiratory illness more effectively. These benefits not only enhance patient well-being but also have the potential to reduce costly emergency department visits and hospital admissions.
The Need for Innovation
Respiratory disease affects 1 in 5 people in the UK(1) and is the third leading cause of death nationwide. It contributes to severe morbidity, disabling breathlessness, and poor mental health, with hospital admissions for respiratory conditions rising three times faster than overall admissions. The annual cost to the NHS is estimated at £11 billion(2), underscoring the urgent need for scalable, sustainable solutions like BreathTec.
Meet the Innovator: Dr Karen Marshall
BreathTec was co-founded by Dr Karen Marshall, a Nurse Consultant from North East England and an NHS Clinical Entrepreneur. With over 43 years in nursing and 35 years specialising in respiratory medicine, Dr Marshall brings unparalleled expertise and lived experience—she herself has a lifelong respiratory condition.
Her career has been marked by a commitment to improving psychological well-being in respiratory patients. During her NIHR PhD Clinical Academic Fellowship, she developed and tested a brief CBT intervention for chronic respiratory illness, which demonstrated reductions in anxiety and emergency hospital visits. For her contributions, she received the Meritorious Award from the British Thoracic Society in 2024.
Dr Marshall’s passion for innovation led to the creation of BreathTec, which she hopes will be commissioned across the NHS to reach as many patients as possible. “Our real-world data shows BreathTec helps people manage frightening breathlessness, stay active, and look after their mental health—key factors in reducing hospital admissions,” she explains.
Looking Ahead
Winning the sustainability award at the European Respiratory Society Conference is a significant milestone for BreathTec. It validates the programme’s potential to deliver patient-centred care while alleviating the environmental and financial burden on healthcare systems.
For more information, visit BreathTec’s website or view the award-winning abstract here.