#AskAboutAsthma 2024
This year’s campaign week took place from 9-15 September 2024
NHS England – London’s #AskAboutAsthma campaign returned for its eighth year to raise awareness around childhood asthma and how to manage it.
#AskAboutAsthma highlights the simple changes to children and young people’s care that will make a big difference to how they experience their asthma. Led by NHS England – London’s Babies, Children and Young People programme, the aim is for every person involved in the care of a child or young person with asthma – from GPs and nurses to parents/carers, teachers and youth group leaders – to know about the four asks that can help every person to manage their condition and live full, active lives.
Details about this year’s campaign are below. You can also catch up on our previous campaigns here
Browse this page or jump to:
#AskAboutAsthma campaign aims
As part of the #AskAboutAsthma campaign, we want everyone involved in the care of children and young people with asthma to be even more prepared for week 38 – the week where nationally there is a rise in asthma attacks following the return to school after the summer holidays. By sharing learning, resources and key information, we can help even more children and young people to ask about asthma and get the right care in place.
Campaign theme
This year’s theme focused on helping children and young people with asthma to live their best lives. Asthma should not limit children and young people’s lives in any way and good asthma control means having no symptoms.
Children and young people with asthma should be supported to manage their condition in all areas of their lives – at home, school/college, and in the community. Following the 4 asks can help children and young people to live their best lives.
1. Get an asthma action plan in place
A written asthma action plan drawn up between a clinician and patient means people are four times less likely to have to go to hospital for their asthma.
2. Understand how to use inhalers correctly
Less than three-quarters of children and young people have any form of instruction in how to use their inhaler. Poor inhaler technique means patients don’t get the full benefit of their asthma medication.
3. Schedule an asthma review – every year and after every attack
An asthma review by an appropriately trained clinician after every attack helps to work out what went wrong. An annual review ensures effective management of the condition.
4. Consider air quality and its impact on lung health
We want to ensure that every asthma conversation considers the impact of outdoor and indoor air pollution on children and young people’s asthma.
Get involved
We want everyone to get involved in this campaign. Download the 2024 campaign communications toolkit for social media graphics and messaging, posters and suggested copy for newsletters and emails. This toolkit can be used by supporters to share the campaign locally.
Factsheets
Contact us:
To learn more about getting involved, contact: england.cyptransformationldn@nhs.net.
Join the mailing list to hear the latest news and updates on #AskAboutAsthma and other London region CYP asthma updates.
Register for #AAA 2024 events
Throughout the week there will be webinars, podcasts, blogs, vlogs, social media activity and a one-day virtual conference. Details of the one-day conference can be found below.
One-day virtual conference
This year’s one-day virtual conference was held on Thursday 12 September 2024.
There were sessions on:
· Practical steps to help children and young people live their best lives with asthma
· Vaping cessation in children and young people
· Severe asthma referral – who isn’t being referred?
· Clinical and national updates
Conference recordings
Empowering Asthma’s Youth from Struggle to Strength: My Story – Isabelle Utley
NHS England CYP asthma national update – Jennifer Townshend
Thematic report: Child deaths due to asthma – Professor Karen Luyt and Sylvia Stoianova
Q & A – Isabelle Utley, Mursheda Nessa and Sylvia Stoianova
Practical steps to empowering CYP to live their best lives with asthma – Professor Ian Sinha
Implementing the damp and mould checklist – 6 months on – Shelley Aldred
Adolescent vaping harm – Mira Osinibi
Q & A – Professor Ian Sinha, Shelley Aldred and Mira Osinibi
Clinical update – Dr Andy Turnbull
How asthma affects children & young people’s quality of life and how we can address it – Sarah Sleet
How can pharmacy help CYP with asthma to live their best lives? – Sarah Popple
Severe Asthma Referral- Who Isn’t Being Referred? – Dr Louise Fleming
Daily webinars
As part of #AskAboutAsthma2024 we hosted daily webinars focusing on children and young people’s asthma care. These events are designed for stakeholders across the spectrum of CYP asthma systems.
Asthma & air pollution webinar (Monday 9 September: 1.00 – 2.00): This webinar is aimed at anyone interested in air pollution and how it affects children and young people with asthma. We will hear from Connie Marsh and Viv Marsh on “Housing and helping children live their best lives”, Rachel Tilford on an air quality and schools project in Merton and Tom Parkes on a borough based approach to improving air quality with Abi Whitehouse chairing. Click here for the recording. Click here for the webinar slides
Partner webinar by Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health – Upskilling child health professionals to talk about air pollution (Monday 9th September: 2.30 – 3.30): Hear from Zara Raffeeq, Dr Alice Willson and Dr Emily Parker from the RCPCH’s Clean Air Fund Partnership team, exploring the barriers to talking to children, young people and their families about air pollution, and learn how clinicians can overcome them, taking place to coincide with #AskAboutAsthma. Click here for the recording.
Primary care webinar (Tuesday 10 September 1.00–2.00pm): This webinar will update you on developments in children and young people’s asthma care. We will hear from Chris Griffiths (tbc) who will provide a refresh on children and young people’s asthma in primary care: ‘How will the new guidance impact primary care?’ and Richard Chavasse on how MART and AIR can improve asthma care for CYP with some practical tips for primary care, with Rosi Marsh chairing. Click here for the recording. Click here for the webinar slides
Pharmacy webinar (Tuesday 10 September 7.30–8.30pm): This webinar will highlight best practice and innovation within CYP asthma. Chaired by Sukeshi Makhecha from the Evelina, we will hear from Meropi Mastropetrou how pharmacy is working with GP practices to improve CYP asthma care in Feltham & Bedfont Primary Care Network, from Darush Attar-Zadeh in North West London Integrated Care Board on how the new pharmacy data dashboard can improve CYP asthma care and from Shilpa Shah on the value of community pharmacists in managing asthma holistically in Newham. Click here for the recording. Click here for the webinar slides
Nursing webinar (Wednesday 11 September 1.00–2.00pm): This webinar focuses on how nurses can support improvements in asthma care for CYP. We will hear from speakers around dysfunctional breathing, from Laura King from North East London on the safe use of salbutamol and from Carol Stonham in Gloucestershire on new diagnostic pathways for CYP asthma with Alison Summerfield chairing. Click here for the recording. Click here for the webinar slides
Learn Live educational event for schools and parents and carers (Friday 13 September 10–10.30am): “How we can all support young people with asthma to live their best lives”. Join us to hear what asthma is all about, why you need to know about it, how you can help your friends or yourself if you have asthma, and learn about risk factors like air pollution and vaping. Asthma shouldn’t get in the way of anyone living their best life.
2024 Schedule
Below is a schedule of activity for the week. Links to all of these will be added day by day during the week. You can download a copy of the schedule in Microsoft Word format here.
Monday 9 September
Podcast
How schools can support the air quality and asthma agenda to help CYP to live their best lives
Videos
How can primary care support improved air quality?
Helping GPs talk to patients about air pollution
Blogs
Understanding the impact of air quality on childhood asthma: A call to action for Southwark schools
Improving air quality in schools: the London School Filter Project
How to effectively reduce exposure to house dust mite allergen and dust in the home and at school
Tuesday 10 September
Podcast
Recycling of asthma inhalers – challenges and solutions
A Place based approach to improving asthma care
Videos
Pharmacy and general practice: a strong partnership
Safety and sustainability of salbutamol: advice and use after discharge of the wheezy child
How community pharmacy incentives help to deliver improvements in CYP asthma care
An example of the implementation of funded services for CYP asthma in community pharmacy
How healthcare professionals can implement the MHRA montelukast safety alert
Do you know when your inhaler is empty?
Blogs
Asthma education through PLT (protected learning times) for PCNs
Wednesday 11 September
Podcast
Asthma friendly schools – how to implement them in your borough
Videos
What does an asthma attack look like (a nurse’s perspective)
Dispelling myths about exercise induced asthma
Blogs
London Asthma Friendly Schools Guide 2024
Thursday 12 September
Videos
Transition clinics – why they need to be great
Why you should use London’s new digital personalised asthma action plans
Tier 3 training event for CYP asthma: a how to guide
Talking to young people about vaping cessation
Blogs
The importance of inclusion: focus on asthma by Over The Wall
Friday 13 September
Videos
Asthma attack at school? How should schools respond
Asthma and sport: a young person’s perspective
Montelukast: what should families know
Would you know what to do if a child had an asthma attack at school?
Podcast
Air Quality and asthma – young people’s perspective
Blogs
This #AskAboutAsthma week, let’s talk about air pollution
Asthma and Lung UK – Breathe buddies
Five health tips for the start of the new school year – Barnardos