South Tees NHS Trust launches new drive-through lung test service

A new drive-through spirometry service is giving patients across Teesside and North Yorkshire the opportunity have their lung function test without even leaving their car.

Patients requiring the test can now use the drive-through service at The James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, which was opened by South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in May.

Spirometry is a simple test used to assess how well lungs work by measuring how much air is inhaled and how much and how quickly it is exhaled. Spirometry is used to diagnose asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and other conditions that affect breathing.

Patients are given an appointment time to attend the drive-through clinic. Once they have pulled up, the respiratory nurse will come to the car and give the patient their test through car window.

The test only takes minutes to complete after which the patient can drive away. The aim of the service is to enable more people to be safely seen in shorter space of time.

The drive-through has been set up by Janet Leight, respiratory clinical lead at South Tees.

Janet said:

"We are really pleased to be able to offer this service. One advantage is that it allows us to include clinically vulnerable patients, who no longer have to come into the hospital to attend the clinic. They can have the test in the comfort of their own car."

Rehan Mustafa, respiratory clinical director, said:

"This new innovation is part of the trust's continuing focus on addressing the needs of anybody whose non-urgent care has been disrupted by the pandemic."