The Oxford and Wessex AHSNs are leading on two national programmes which are benefiting thousands of asthma patients. The two neighbouring AHSNs are taking an increasingly joined up approach in supporting system-wide collaboration and innovation in all asthma pathways. These initiatives, commissioned by the NHS in line with national priorities, are leading to improvements in outcomes and quality of life for many people. More appropriate diagnosis, management and referral of patients needing further specialist input is helping to reduce asthma attacks, asthma-related hospital admissions and the use of steroids, known to have long-term side-effects.
The NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) works with AHSNs and other partners to speed up the spread and adoption of proven technological innovations and treatments which are approved by NICE but are not yet integrated into everyday practice. The AAC Rapid Uptake Products identified wider access to asthma biologic medicines and expansion of FeNO (Fractional exhaled Nitric Oxide) testing – devices which measure nitric oxide in exhaled breath which support asthma diagnosis – as two key priorities in improving asthma care. In 2021 the Oxford AHSN took the national lead for asthma biologics with Wessex AHSN leading nationally on the FeNO programme. The AHSNs supported system-wide collaboration and innovation on a national, regional and local level to integrate these innovations into everyday practice.
Read more in this case study or watch our presentation on transforming asthma care at the NHS ConfedExpo event in Liverpool in June 2022.
Asthma biologics can transform patient lives by reducing asthma attacks, asthma-related hospital admissions and long-term side-effects of other treatments such as oral steroids. We are focusing on optimising pathways that help with early identification of people with uncontrolled asthma, appropriate referral of patients needing further specialist input and supporting patients to self-administer their medicine at home.
News
November 2022: New structured medication review templates released for EMIS and SystemOne.
September 2022: New e-learning module supporting identification and management of severe asthma in primary care with focus on breaking down barriers to medication adherence released
September 2022: The SPECTRA tool to identify suspected severe asthma is a finalist in the inaugural AHSN Network/NHS Confederation Innovate Awards in the Outstanding Collaboration with Industry category. More here. Winners will be announced on 29 September 2022
June 2022: Consensus pathway for management of uncontrolled asthma in adults launched
March 2022: Almost 1,000 join webinars supporting clinicians managing severe asthma
A series of educational webinars offering practical support to primary care in improving care for people with severe or uncontrolled asthma attracted a combined audience of almost 1,000. Find the three recordings on this page. These sessions covered identifying and managing uncontrolled asthma, improving adherence to asthma treatments and the launch of a consensus pathway for uncontrolled and severe asthma care. The series was supported by the Oxford AHSN and hosted by healthcare events agency Cogora on behalf of the AHSN Network and NHS Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC).