In partnership with the University of Huddersfield , Dr Jones has started working with asthma champions in underrepresented communities , along with local social prescribers . These local discussions will help Dr Jones and her team to evaluate the current literature that is available for patients for whom English is not their first language . This learning will help inform the development of new graphic medicine sheets , translated materials which will be culturally relevant and understandable to all those who need to interpret the information .
Part of the project also looks at the education and training of practitioners within primary care to help tackle health inequalities by providing practices with access to resources in a range of different languages that they can share with their patients .
The ‘ Breathe Better Yorkshire Asthma Summit ’, organised by the Yorkshire & Humber AHSN , brought together more than 150 professionals across our three ICSs , including secondary and primary care , pharmacists and respiratory networks . It offered a great opportunity to share learnings and best practice , as well as spread and adopt these new materials across the region .
FeNO testing across Humber and North Yorkshire
To help confirm a diagnosis of asthma , and therefore consider effective treatments , a FeNO test can be performed .
FeNO stands for ‘ fractional exhaled nitric oxide ’, and a FeNO test measures the levels of nitric oxide when the patients breathe out . Nitric oxide is produced in a patient ’ s lungs when their airways are inflamed , usually because they are allergic to something that they have inhaled . Exhaling a high level of nitric oxide can be a sign that patients have inflamed airways . Alongside other tests , a patient ’ s clinical history , and a trial of treatment , a FeNO test can help confirm an asthma diagnosis which is quick and non-invasive and asks patients to blow into a handheld device that will track their results .
Distribution of FeNO machines and associated benefits
130 machines purchased
11,494
additional patients
now have their asthma under control
41,050 mouth pieces utilised
27 Transforming Lives Through Innovation