As winter respiratory infections continue to place intense pressure on the NHS – driving GP demand, hospital admissions and antibiotic use – researchers are asking whether some of the most effective solutions may already be hiding in plain sight.
A Simple Shift to Impact Winter Pressures is a new, evidence-led campaign bringing together researchers from the Universities of Southampton, Bristol and Oxford, supported by CARRii, to highlight how a simple, low-cost intervention could help reduce the burden of winter respiratory illness and ease pressure on the health system.
The evidence
The campaign is grounded in findings from the Immune Defence Trial, published in Lancet Respiratory Medicine. This large UK study involved 13,799 adults and showed that early use of saline nasal sprays during respiratory infection can:
- shorten illness duration by around three days
- reduce symptom severity and disruption to daily life
- cut antibiotic use by approximately 30%
- deliver estimated NHS savings of £50+ per patient
With respiratory infections continuing to drive winter demand across primary care and hospitals, the implications for prevention, antimicrobial resistance and winter preparedness are significant.
Monica Fletcher OBE, Chief Executive of CARRii, said:
“Not every solution needs to be complex. This research shows how a simple, accessible intervention could make a meaningful difference – and why translating evidence into practice is so important for patients and the NHS.”
Taking evidence to Parliament
As part of the campaign, researchers are bringing this evidence to Parliament through a House of Commons briefing, supported by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Respiratory Health and CARRii (Centre for Applied Respiratory Research, Innovation & Impact).
The session is designed to support informed discussion on how accessible, evidence-based measures could be better embedded into policy and practice, and how simple preventative approaches may play a role in reducing avoidable pressure on NHS services during the winter months.
About the campaign
CARRii exists to translate high-quality research into real-world impact. This campaign reflects that mission – connecting researchers, clinicians and policymakers to ensure evidence does not stop at publication, but informs decisions that affect patients, communities and health systems.
More updates and materials will be shared following the parliamentary session.
Download Event Materials
To support the translation of evidence into practice, we’ve made key materials from the parliamentary briefing available to download below.
These resources are designed for policymakers, health professionals, researchers and the wider public, and provide both practical guidance and the underpinning evidence.
How to use nasal saline
A practical guide
This short instruction sheet provides clear, accessible guidance on how to use nasal saline safely and effectively, including when to use it, how often, and key points to consider for different settings.
Download the instruction sheet (PDF 1.3MB)
The research behind the evidence
Research booklet
This booklet summarises the clinical evidence underpinning the campaign, including findings from large-scale trials examining the use of nasal saline for respiratory infections. It outlines the rationale, results and potential implications for winter pressures, antimicrobial resistance and prevention.
Download the research booklet (PDF 1.3MB)
Additional Information
Professor Lucy Yardley is the NIHR HPRU-EBS Co-produce Theme Lead and is the new Co-Lead in Prevention & Risk Reduction theme at the Centre for Applied Respiratory Research Innovation (CARRi)
