This year’s campaign week takes place from 11-17 September 2023

NHS England – London’s #AskAboutAsthma campaign returns in September for its seventh 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 will be added to this page over the coming months. You can also catch up on the 2022 campaign here.

 

See our asthma care page for children, young people, families and carers for practical tips on getting the right asthma management in place.

Browse this page or jump to:

1. Campaign aims

2. 2023 campaign week recap

3. Get involved – download a communications toolkits

4. #AAA evaluation slides

#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.

The #AskAboutAsthma campaign encourages children and young people, their families, and those involved in their care, to ensure four simple and effective measures to help them control their asthma:

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.

Campaign theme

This year’s theme is “Widening our view”. We’re shining a light on the wider factors of children and young people’s asthma care including housing, mould and vaping.

Widening our view also helps us to raise the profile of asthma; reaching out to everyone who has asthma, their friends, families and the whole system that cares for them.

Campaign week recap

During the campaign week, we released brand new content including podcasts, blogs and videos, contributed by a range of experts including young people, parents of children with asthma, asthma nurses, respiratory consultants, public health leaders, and air pollution experts.

Browse the content below or download the campaign week schedule which links to all of the campaign week content. You’ll also find additional content released by external organisations and partners during the campaign week.

#AskAboutAsthma conference: release of slides and recording

This online conference was recorded on the 14th of September 2023, as part of the annual #AskAboutAsthma campaign. The theme for 2023 was ‘widening our view’, meaning a focus on the areas that we might not traditionally think of as core asthma management and care but which nonetheless have a significant impact on children and young people’s asthma. Examples include housing and vaping (in children and adolescents). ‘Widening our view’ also promotes inclusion of all children and young people with asthma, their families and the entire wider system that cares for them.

#AskAboutAsthma is run by the NHS England – London Children and Young People’s Asthma Programme. While establishing good asthma care in childhood has positive impacts throughout life, the intent of the programme and the campaign is to improve asthma management and care – and as a result – the lives of children and young people with the condition.

The programme team would like to thank sincerely all the speakers for their participation and expression of their views during the conference, and attendees who engaged, asked questions and in any other way contributed to the success of the conference and the campaign as a whole.

The events, videos, podcasts and blogs are available as part of the #AskAboutAsthma campaign.

A broader range of information published by the NHS including CYP asthma and the wider subjects addressed is also accessible. 

Monday 11 September: children, young people and families

Virtual event: Learn Live broadcast to schools 

BlogAddressing stigma through co-production with children and young people with asthma
Dr Lin Graham-Ray, NHS South West London integrated Care System

Podcast: #AskAboutAsthma: vaping and young people – why so popular and what are the risks?
Dr Seb Gray joined by a panel of young experts: Aishah, Hebe, Maryam and Tiana

Videos:

A young person’s thoughts and experiences of asthma care
Contributed by Aishwarya, RCPH&Us

The risks of vaping on children and young people’s lung health
Dr Sarah Brown, Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory Medicine, Royal London Hospital, Barts Health NHS Trust

Addressing stigma through co-production with children with asthma
Dr Lin Graham-Ray

Shared by our partners:

Videos:
Wheeze and asthma explained
Dr Mando Watson, General Paediatric Consultant, St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington (Imperial College Healthcare

What is asthma? 
Top tips for treating asthma

Surrey Heartland’s children and young people’s asthma team

Tuesday 12 September: primary care and community care

Blog: Using asthma inhalers without an asthma diagnosis

Laura King, Senior Children & Young People’s Asthma Practitioner for North-East London NHS North East London / Young Barts Health

Podcast: Helping healthcare professionals to identify and address challenges with medication adherence

Professor John Weinman and Dr Christina Pearce

Videos:

How Anti-Inflammatory Reliever Therapy (AIR) work
Dr Mark L Levy

Dangers of using bought nebulisers at home: healthcare professionals
Medicines & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) featuring Dr Rebecca Mann, Consultant Paediatrician

Diagnosing childhood asthma
Dr Chinedu Nwokoro, Consultant Respiratory Paediatrician at Barth Health NHS Trust and North East London ICB

Top tips for making every contact count for children and young people with asthma
Seb Gray, General Consultant Paediatrician at Bath, North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB

The use of oximetry for people with black or brown skin tones
Dr Mark L Levy

Resource: Green inhaler information and leaflets for patients
NHS England – London BCYP asthma team

Virtual events:

#AskAboutAsthma primary care webinar recording and presentations

#AskAboutAsthma pharmacy webinar recording and presentations

Shared by our partners:

Blog: Greener asthma treatment – a golden opportunity or a red flag? – PaediatricFOAM
Dr Seb Gray

Video: The use of oximetry in different ethnic groups
Professor Shaw and Dr Fogarty

Wednesday day 13 September: nursing day

Blog: A case study – the value of child and family centred integrated care
Deborah Waddell, Respiratory Specialist Nurse Asthma and Lung UK


Podcast: where are we with SABA over-reliance?

Sara Latham, Nina Somerville and Dr Niall Durrant

Videos:

The safe use of salbutamol: a nursing perspective
Stephanie Harper, Southampton University Trust

How group consultations can support transition from children’s to adult’s asthma services
Helen Espline, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Virtual event: #AskAboutAsthma nursing webinar recording and presentations

Shared by our partners:

Blog:Thunderstorm asthma and climate change
Dr Seb Gray

Research poster on nurse-led education on e-cigarette use by adolescents and abstract here
M Osinibi, C J Bossley                  

Thursday 14 September: whole systems day

Podcast:

Partner working in Hounslow borough to improve children and young people’s asthma care

North West London Integrated Care System (NWL ICS)

Videos:

Dangers of using bought nebulisers at home
Dr Rebecca Mann

Top tips on reducing health inequalities in asthma
Dr Seb Gray

The dangers of an asthma attack: one young person’s experience 

A young person, joined by Sukeshi Makhecha, Lead pharmacist, Paediatrics at Royal Brompton and Evelina hospitals

 Blogs:

Calling All Healthcare Professionals: Spark Action on Air Pollution
Dr Sarah Robertson, UK Health Security Agency

Development of a moderate asthma pathway for London
Giles Armstrong, Consultant in Paediatrics Emergency Medicine

Housing and Health working together to support children with asthma in Walsall

Connie Jennings, Director of Stronger Communities, Walsall Housing Group

Viv Marsh, Clinical Lead for Children and Young People’s Asthma Transformation, Black Country ICB

One-day virtual conference

This year’s one-day virtual conference took place on Thursday 14 September 2023 with sessions including:

  • inequalities in children and young people’s asthma care
  • housing damp and mould
  • the risks of vaping to children and young people with asthma
  • clinical and national updates.

Friday 15 September is air pollution day

Videos:
Thoughts from Mums for Lungs campaigners and parents of children with asthma
Rosa and Ruth, Mums for Lungs

Air pollution, asthma and findings from the Black Child Clean Air report
Agnes Agyepong, CEO, Global Black Maternal Health

Podcast: How can healthcare professionals help in tackling air pollution?

Dr Ian Sinha and Dr Abigail Whitehouse

Blogs:

Taking a public health approach to improving asthma outcomes in children and young people
Professor Kevin Fenton, Regional Director for London, Office for Health Improvement and Disparities

How we tackle poor quality housing and its impact on our patients
Dr. Meredith JP Robertson

How can health professionals help in tackling air pollution?
Dr Malcolm White – Clean Air Specialist at charity Global Action Plan (GAP)

Virtual event: #AskAboutAsthma air pollution webinar recording and presentations

Shared by our partners:

Animations on clean air with translations coming soon
Shared by North East London ICB

NHS Clean Air Animation – Final Version (No Captions)

NHS Clean Air Animation – English Captions

Video: Air pollution as an asthma trigger
Moving on Asthma

Get involved

We want everyone to get involved in this campaign. Download the 2023 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.

You can also download tailored communications toolkits to promote the campaign in specific settings including schools, GP practices and youth organisations. Download as many toolkits as you like from the menu below to help spread the word:

Stakeholder Briefings

Download a briefing for tailored information on this year’s campaign:

Latest on this topic

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.

Related content:

Asthma fact sheet

View past campaigns: