Publish date: 24 March 2025
A new paediatric asthma initiative has been launched at the Trust, aiming to improve care for children and young people, while lowering repeat hospital admissions.
This program is crucial because Tameside currently has one of the highest hospital admission rates in England for asthma among those under 19, nearly three times the national average.
In collaboration with Health Innovation Manchester, the project focuses on advancing asthma diagnosis and management through innovative technology: Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FeNO) testing. This method measures lung inflammation and supports both the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma.
Children and young people hospitalised for asthma will receive FeNO tests upon admission, along with follow-up tests in the community to track the effectiveness of asthma management. For those experiencing severe, uncontrolled asthma, assessments will lead to appropriate referrals to the local paediatric asthma biologic pathway, granting access to specialised medication aimed at achieving long-term asthma control.
The initiative also addresses smoking behaviours in households, as these can worsen asthma symptoms. Families and young people will receive stop-smoking guidance and be connected to local cessation services or the Smoke Free digital app to support their efforts to quit.
The initiative builds on a pilot project initially launched at Oldham Royal Infirmary in 2022.
Dr. Robert Block, paediatric consultant, said: “We are delighted to be able to bring this programme to Tameside for the benefit of our children and young people. Asthma is a priority area in Tameside and having seen the impact of the project in Oldham, we know this will improve the standard of care provided to those who need it.”