Posted on: 1 September 2023
Rob's video blog, 1 September 2023
Widening horizons for asthma care through #AskAboutAsthma campaign
A new school year is right around the corner, and with it comes a heightened focus on the wellbeing of children and young people, especially those with asthma. The national #AskAboutAsthma campaign is taking the reins to ensure that everyone involved in the care of these individuals is well-prepared for the critical Week 38 – a week notorious for a surge in asthma attacks as students return to school after the summer break.
This campaign is more than just a call to action; it's a movement to equip caregivers with the tools and knowledge they need to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those with asthma. The heart of the #AskAboutAsthma campaign lies in the power of collective action. By sharing knowledge, resources, and essential information, we have the potential to revolutionise how asthma is managed and treated. The ultimate goal? To give agency to children, young people, families, and everyone involved in their care to proactively address asthma and ensure that appropriate care is readily available.
The campaign's foundation rests on four simple yet impactful measures that can significantly improve asthma control and management:
1. Get an asthma action plan: collaboration between clinicians and patients to create an asthma action plan is pivotal. This seemingly straightforward step can reduce the likelihood of hospitalisation due to asthma by a staggering four times.
2. Master inhaler technique: inadequate instruction in inhaler usage is prevalent among children and young people. This critical skill is often underestimated, but the campaign reminds us that proper inhaler technique ensures patients receive the full benefits of their asthma medication.
3. Prioritise asthma reviews: post-attack asthma reviews, conducted by appropriately trained clinicians, are invaluable in dissecting what went wrong and how to prevent it in the future. Annual reviews further contribute to effective long-term asthma management.
4. Acknowledge air quality: in the quest for comprehensive asthma care, considering the impact of both outdoor and indoor air pollution on lung health is imperative. A holistic approach to asthma conversations is what we strive for.
In West Yorkshire, we are also adding an additional priority to support parents, carers, and clinicians by promoting the AsthmaHub App for Parents. This App, as part of the wider respiratory toolkit, also available in West Yorkshire, has recently won two HSJ awards, has been developed with and will continue to be updated by experts in asthma, and has been coproduced by patient representatives. It is freely available for parents and carers across England.
The purpose of the App is to support parents of children with asthma with long-term management and to help their children stay well. The App provides appropriate supplementary advice, education, and support for staying well with asthma, as well as spotting deteriorating symptoms early using a personalised asthma action plan.
Where the apps have been introduced in Wales, there have been some significant outcomes. Among ALL users of the respiratory apps, including adult asthma and COPD, 36% reduce their visits to the GP, and 19% admissions to A&E when they regularly use their app for six months or more. The app can be downloaded here: https://icsthub.co.uk/asthmahub-for-parents/
In West Yorkshire, a 1 minute video will be released on each weekday of the campaign highlighting the five priorities of the #AskAboutAsthma campaign. This will be circulated to schools and GP practices and they will be used in the future to continue awareness throughout the year.
This year's campaign theme, "Widening our view," spotlights the broader landscape of asthma care for children and young people. While medical care remains paramount, we're casting a light on the often-overlooked factors that influence asthma care. Housing conditions, the presence of mould, and even vaping habits come under the campaign's spotlight. By acknowledging and addressing these aspects, we can provide more comprehensive care that takes into account the entirety of a young individual's environment.
The #AskAboutAsthma campaign extends its reach far beyond the individual. It beckons to friends, families, and the entire support system surrounding those living with asthma. By fostering a collective awareness and understanding of the challenges and necessities of asthma care, we're creating a safety net that ensures no one is left behind.
As we stand on the cusp of a new school year, let's fully embrace the mission set forth by the #AskAboutAsthma campaign. Let's engage in meaningful inquiries, expand our knowledge, and ensure that children and young individuals grappling with asthma receive the care they rightfully deserve. The increase in asthma attacks post-summer need not be an unavoidable consequence. Together, we possess the ability to rewrite this narrative and start a fresh chapter of asthma management. Let's ensure that safeguarding the wellbeing of children with asthma remains a paramount concern in West Yorkshire and beyond. Become a part of this movement, disseminate the message, and let's wield the power to make a tangible impact on the lives of those who require it the most.
Thank you for reading,
Katherine
Maternity services at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust rated good again by CQC
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has again rated maternity services at Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust as good following an inspection in June.
The inspection was carried out as part of CQC’s national maternity inspection programme.
The programme aims to provide an up to date view of the quality of hospital maternity care across the country, and a better understanding of what is working well to support learning and improvement at a local and national level.
Inspectors only looked at the areas of safe and well-led in the maternity service. Following the inspection, the overall rating for maternity, as well as the area of well-led, was rated as good. The rating for safe went down from good to requires improvement.
The overall rating for the trust, as well as Calderdale Royal Hospital, remains as good. Our maternity services rated good again by CQC - CHFT (cht.nhs.uk)
Student-led clinic project
The student-led clinic project, led by Laura Singleton a Clinical Leadership Fellow working on Placement expansion, within the West Yorkshire Learning Environments and Placements (LEAP) spearheads a positive culture change within practice with regard to how we view our learners, and what approach we take in managing their valuable placements. Learners are no longer viewed as an additional pressure on practice but have become a valuable resource in tackling patient waiting lists, increasing patient safety and improving satisfaction, which as a consequence has supported the wellbeing of existing staff by relieving workloads.
For the learner, it becomes a valuable quality placement, significantly increasing patient contact and experience, supporting leadership skills and building a strong relationship between themselves and the host of their placement, making it a valuable long-term recruitment strategy.
For the patients, it provides access to services that in some cases have not been available for some time, as well as valuable health education often enabling them to self-manage conditions which will lower the risk of future deterioration.
Organisations/teams wanted to host Fellowship placements
The Fellowship programme is looking for teams and organisations interested in hosting a Fellow. The Fellowship is a leadership development programme aimed specifically at colleagues from ethnically diverse communities who are working within the health and care in West Yorkshire.
As part of the programme Fellows undertake a 12 month placement for one day a week with organisations within the sector. This placement is a fantastic opportunity for an organisation to gain an additional team member who can bring new perspectives, skills and experiences to the team. At the same time the placement will also support the Fellows own development through giving them the opportunity to work in different types of organisations with different teams. The ideal placement would see a Fellow lead on a project that would be suitable for a mid-level manager.
If you are interested in potentially hosting a placement or have any queries, please contact the System Leadership and Development team at wyicb-wak.
New Wakefield interim Public Health Director announced
Steve Turnbull has been appointed as the Interim Director of Public Health for Wakefield District.
Steve has worked as a Consultant in Public Health in Wakefield since 2019 and became Deputy Director of Public Health in 2021. Before specialising in public health, Steve’s career spanned hospital management, community development, and NHS commissioning.
Steve’s appointment follows a robust selection process overseen by the Advisory Appointment Committee of the national Faculty of Public Health.
The interim arrangements will begin shortly to make sure there is a seamless handover from the outgoing Director of Public Health, Anna Hartley. Anna will leave Wakefield at the end of September to take up a new position as Executive Director of Public Health and Communities at Barnsley Council.
Vital Signs – new four-part podcast series delves behind the scenes at leading teaching hospital
From ‘A day in the life of the Major Trauma Unit’ to ‘A journey through liver transplantation’ a new four-part podcast series, Vital Signs, captures the daily lives of the incredible people and services in at Leeds Teaching Hospitals.
Following on the back of the BBC television series Saving Lives in Leeds, the eight-part access all areas documentary that aired earlier in the year, the Trust now invites listeners to take a deeper dive into some of the key areas of the hospital’s work.
Each 30-minute episode brings several voices together to explore a particular speciality they work in. One episode unveils the power of play at Leeds Children’s Hospital, where specialist playworker Natalie uses distraction and preparation techniques, tailored for each young person to help them process and manage their appointments. In the episode on future talent, a midwifery degree apprentice and a pioneering gynaecology surgeon give two very different accounts of their working lives and how their learning brings about better patient care.
In the tenth anniversary year of the Major Trauma Centre at Leeds, different characters bring their working day to life and they talk about the importance and challenges of getting along with each other and why Leeds is leading in the field of trauma care.
And a fourth episode follows the story in the liver transplant team and the journey that takes place to deliver a new organ to a patient. Leeds is a national centre for liver transplant, just one of the specialties that sets the Trust apart.
A new episode is being made available each week with new episodes dropping every Monday. Vital Signs is available on all main podcast platforms, and via https://
Airedale's in-house stop smoking service shows commitment to women and babies’ health
In one of our latest case studies Zoe Ludgate, Early Intervention Midwife at Airedale General Hospital, tells us about the work being carried out by Airedale NHS Foundation Trust to reduce smoking in pregnancy and cut the smoking status at time of delivery (SATOD) rates.
The first phase of in-house stop smoking service went live on 24 July 2023. Since then, the team has already had 17 referrals with patients saying that by offering this service we really are committed to the health of the women and their babies.
Read more on the difference our partnership is making pages.
NHS rolls out world-first programme to transform diabetes care for under 40s
Tens of thousands of people in England living with early onset type 2 diabetes will benefit from more intensive and targeted care, thanks to a world-first initiative being rolled out by the NHS. Around 140,000 people aged 18 to 39 years old will receive additional tailored health checks from healthcare staff, and support with diabetes management, such as blood sugar level control, weight management and cardiovascular risk minimisation. Under the ambitious new programme, named ‘T2Day: Type 2 Diabetes in the Young’, patients will benefit from extra one-to-one reviews as well as the option of new medicines and treatments where indicated, to help better manage their diabetes.
Addressing the additional risks associated with the condition during pregnancy, there will also be dedicated support available for women, including access to contraception and folic acid supplements. For more information see the news release.
Managing and preventing diabetes
We have updated a poster aimed at primary care colleagues and other health professionals giving an overview of the national programmes available to help prevent and manage diabetes. This includes the NHS National Diabetes Prevention Programme and the different digital structured education offers for those living with diabetes. Print and online versions are available. For these and more resources see the diabetes communications resource centre.
West Yorkshire parents and carers with asthmatic children urged to take extra care
Around one in ten young people has asthma in the UK and a child is admitted to hospital every 20 minutes because of an asthma attack, the majority of which are preventable. Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition and causes symptoms like coughing, wheezing and breathlessness. It can be triggered by various factors, including allergens, pollution, and weather changes. Children with asthma are particularly vulnerable to these triggers, and their routine, preventive medication is crucial for managing the condition and preventing asthma attacks.
Asthma attacks tend to increase significantly in September after the school holidays, likely due to disruptions in medication routines during the summer break. To reduce this risk, parents are advised to maintain their child's regular medication schedule as they transition back into their school routine. Read more.