NHS England’s Ask About Asthma campaign returns for its eighth year, focusing on empowering children and young people to “live their best lives” despite their asthma. This year’s campaign not only addresses the basics of asthma management but also delves into broader factors such as vaping, air quality, housing conditions, and mould to ensure comprehensive support for every child and young person with asthma in London.
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Pharmacists play a crucial role in supporting the #AskAboutAsthma initiative by engaging in several key activities:
- Inhaler Technique Checks: Ensure all children and young people with asthma receive a thorough inhaler technique check.
- Monitoring Medication Collection: Identify children who are not regularly collecting their preventer medication and communicate this to their GP practice.
- Reliever Medication Oversight: Track children collecting large quantities of reliever medication and notify their GP practice.
- Nebuliser Usage Guidance: Inform patients that nebulisers or nebules for asthma rescue medication should only be used if recommended and managed by an asthma specialist.
- Education on Triggers: Share important information with asthma patients and their parents/carers about minimizing exposure to asthma triggers like smoking, vaping, damp, and mould.
Additionally, pharmacists can provide practical advice on managing asthma by asking parents and carers:
- Does their child have an asthma action plan?
- Have they had an inhaler technique check by a trained clinician in the past year?
- Are they scheduling annual asthma reviews and follow-ups after every attack?
- Do they understand how air pollution affects their asthma?
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Darush Attar-Zadeh, clinical fellow and respiratory pharmacist at North West London ICB, emphasizes the pivotal role of pharmacists in medicine reviews to check adherence to medication. He highlights that pharmacists can coach patients on proper inhaler and spacer use by first observing and then correcting any technique errors. Poor inhaler technique and lack of adherence to preventative treatment can lead to poorly controlled asthma, which is burdensome for the patient, the environment, and the NHS.
For more information, pharmacists can register for an #AskAboutAsthma pharmacy webinar on Tuesday, September 10, from 7:30-8:30 pm. Additional details about the campaign and educational events are available, along with a factsheet for pharmacists to aid in supporting their patients effectively.
