Asthma: Getting control
One year on: the personal asthma action plans are proudly displayed by patients who find them so useful. Top left are John and Ro Hilton who funded the cards. On the right are Jane Peach, specialist asthma nurse at University Hospital and Shirley Holdcroft, practice nurse at Harley Street Medical Centre.
Patients suffering from asthma are getting control over their symptoms. Not with amazing new drugs, but with a simple printed card.
Personal Asthma Action Plan cards were introduced a year ago and are having a real impact on patients. Some of them recently met with John and Ro Hilton, whose fundraising paid for the cards, to tell them just how they had benefitted.
The personalised action plans are an easy guide for sufferers to know when and how to increase their medication safely or when their condition worsens to the point they need medical help.
Understanding and education are key to control and patients say things like "I've never been as well as I have since using the card" and "Having this card for my child has made an enormous difference to us all as a family". The card brings a patient's asthma information together in one place and even includes some handy tips to help them get the best from their treatment.
Families say the plans give them confidence too as they never know when they may be called on to help.
The cards were introduced by specialist asthma nurses at University Hospital working closely with practice nurses in GP clinics. Jane Peach, one of the asthma team says, "The idea of the personal asthma action plan cards is to improve the health of people with asthma, encourage them to take responsibility for managing their asthma and reduce the number of times they have to go to A&E or are admitted to hospital for treatment.
"The action plans have been sent to over 60 GP practices in the area and are routinely given to patients at the specialist hospital clinics. Each one is personalised to the patient so they can monitor their own condition and judge whether to increase their own medication or seek medical help. With 4,000 cards already distributed and another 2,000 being printed, lots of patients are beginning to see the benefit of being in control."
John and Ro Hilton are delighted with the results of their latest donation and, convinced of the benefits of the action plans, they are going to continue to fund the printing costs. Mr and Mrs Hilton have raised over 200,000 pounds for University Hospital since their son died from asthma in 2002. The Guy Hilton Research Centre was named in honour of him.