Here is some information on the Challenge Fund projects listed by grant amount. The status for each project was updated in July 2006. For forms, conditions and guidelines, please see the application pack on the main Challenge Fund page.
Asthma diagnostic clinic
£45,000 | Glenfield Hospital NHS Trust, Leicester
Aims: To set up a dedicated rapid access clinic to allow an accurate diagnosis to be made and provide GPs with treatment advice based on a detailed assessment of airway function and inflammation. The effectiveness of such a service will be demonstrated in order to ensure uptake by local primary care trusts (PCTs) and elsewhere.
May 2006 - May 2008
Self-management for people with asthma in Hackney
£44,959 | Social Action for Health
Aims: To introduce 150 people from various black and minority ethnic groups (Afro-Caribbean, Urdu, Somali and Turkish) to the concept and practice of self-management and to encourage them to join a self-management programme; for 80 people with asthma to be trained in self-management and healthy lifestyles.
Status: After the recruitment and training of key workers and participants, courses started in September 2005 and ran until May 2006. The expected outcomes are that all participants will learn about healthy lifestyles and that there will be a marked increase in self efficacy and empowerment for participants (and their family and friends). A full evaluation will be carried out in July 2006.
April 2005 - July 2006
Hammersmith & Fulham asthma awareness project
£43,500 | Hammersmith & Fulham Primary Care Trust
Aims: To raise standards of care and awareness by coordinating the asthma support offered to patients and carers between the local Primary Care Trust and Hospital Trust with social services, the voluntary sector and education authority across the borough.
Status: After a delayed start due to departure of the Project Lead from the PCT, work commenced in December 2005. The first six months focused on engaging with local stakeholders in various organisations to enable the eventual roll out of the key objectives. The outcomes include: to have an increased number of patients with a written personal action plan, an increased number of asthma trained nurses and carers, all schools in Hammersmith & Fulham to have an asthma policy, an increased number of patients attending the emergency department with asthma who are followed up by a specialist asthma nurse and an increase in the number of patients whose inhaler technique has been checked in the last 15 months (as monitored via General Practice information systems).
July 2005 - December 2006
Improving asthma care for school-age children
£42,300 | Luton Primary Care Trust
Aims: To improve asthma care for children in an area with high black and minority ethnic population. The children are actively involved in redesigning and delivering their service eg, in hospital and on discharge. The project is run by the senior paediatric sister and the school nursing team supported by the Childhood Asthma Working Group.
Status: Phase 1 is now completed (this involved improving the working relationships between health professionals and the need for more regular education in the local community and for parents). A presentation was given at the Airways Conference in March 2006. PDF copies available on request. Further progress report due in August 2006.
September 2004 - October 2006
Huff & Puff
£41,000 | Maldon & South Chelmsford PCT
Aims: To show the benefits of singing and playing a musical instrument for children with asthma by involving them in an arts programme and also by training health professionals. The project will consist of two strands:
1. Developing an arts programme that will include singing to improve breathing and self-confidence.
2. Working with children and young people with asthma to educate health professionals and school/PE teachers in dealing with asthma.
Status: Some initial groundwork commenced in May 2005. The planning and publicity work has taken place, including the recruitment of children as well as informing local health professionals. The music sessions are to be started in February. Further progress report due in August 2006.
May 2005 - September 2006
Planet Asthma
£38,310 | Bromley by Bow Centre, East London
Aims: To promote a project where art is used to enhance the well-being of young people (aged 5-18) with asthma, especially those within ethnic minorities and in areas of high social deprivation.
A workshop programme will be developed in order to influence the delivery of self-management programmes for young people. A website will be set up and a project manual produced.
March 2006 - October 2007
Education for parents of children with asthma (aged 0-4yrs)
£34,320 | Neath Port Talbot Local Health Board, Wales
Aims: To improve the health of children with asthma in an area of socio-economic and health deprivation in Wales by providing a structured education programme to their parents. Parents will gain the knowledge and skills to manage asthma as well as develop self-confidence to improve the quality of life for the family as a whole as well as their children.
July 2006 - July 2007
Better control of asthma in Herefordshire and Worcestershire
£33,755 | Hereford and Worcester Ambulance NHS Trust
Aims: To improve the treatment and education of people with mild to moderate asthma who present for unscheduled care. This will be achieved by providing additional training for Emergency Care and Nurse Practitioners, improving patient care pathways and providing education to patients.
June 2006 - December 2007
AAAH!!! Adolescent Asthma Awareness and Help
£30,500 | Dudley South Primary Care Trust
Aims: To raise awareness and improve asthma care for adolescents. Young people were actively involved at all stages of the project including the production of a DVD and supporting leaflets including materials for teachers. A resource pack has now been produced and provided for each of Dudley's secondary schools and school health advisers.
Status: These materials were launched on World Asthma Day 2005. Sixty copies have been distributed in schools. A presenation was given at the Airways Conference in march 2006. A PDF of this presentation is available on request. The final evaluation has now been concluded. This has shown improved knowledge and understanding about asthma among adolescents, their teachers and health professionals.
February 2005 - June 2006
Schools in Norfolk asthma policy training sessions
£18,300 | Norfolk Schools Asthma Group
Aims: To organise cluster training sessions for the lay representatives in the 450 schools in Norfolk so that consistent, clear guidance can be given on how the school asthma policy can be implemented in these schools.
Status: Following the appointment of the school nurse project coordinator and revision of the local school asthma policy, training sessions for the 'asthma link' for each school has begun. Improving the communications with schools is also being addressed in order to improve the reaponse rate for some of the sessions.
September 2005 - December 2007
Healthier young people with asthma
£15,000 | Western Sussex Primary Care Trust
Aims: To show the benefits of swimming lessons for children with asthma in deprived areas.
Status: Classes started in November 2004 but recruitment proved more difficult than expected with only forty children ultimately participating. The evaluation showed a number of benefits for a high proportion of the children.
September 2004 - April 2006
Community pharmacy asthma project
£11,000 | East Ayrshire Local Health Care Co-operative
Aims: To establish the contribution that community pharmacy can make to improve the lives of people with asthma and to improve clinical outcomes in non-consulting people with asthma who have uncontrolled symptoms. People with uncontrolled asthma will be identified in the pharmacy using a questionnaire and referred back to their local asthma clinic for review and follow up eight weeks later.
Status: Despite the lower than expected number of patients assessed, the results show that Community Pharmacists are ideally placed to intervene with asthma patients to help improve patient understanding of their medication and improve their inhaler technique. Of the patients referred by the pharmacist, 50% attended the GP, asthma nurse or asthma clinic with improved outcomes.
April 2005 - August 2006
Asthma management for Asian children
£9,750 | Asian People's Disability Alliance
Aim: To produce a booklet about asthma, targeting Asian children who have asthma. The booklet will be printed in English (for children) with guidance notes in English and Punjabi / Urdu / Gujerati / Hindi / Tamil / Bengali (for parents or non-English speaking carers). The booklet will provide age-appropriate information on managing asthma in an Asian cultural and social context.
Status: Work started on this project in April 2005 and is nearing completion. A publicity campaign is currently being arranged. The expected outcomes are Asian children with asthma and their parents will be better informed and empowered to have confidence in their ability to manage their asthma.
February 2005 - July 2006
Leeds West Primary Care Trust
£9,750 | Leeds West Primary Care Trust
Aims: To raise awareness of asthma in children by the production of a video and leaflets for teachers and parents as part of a communications campaign in the city.
Status: The video and leaflets were launched in Leeds on World Asthma Day 2005: 700 copies have now been distributed. The evaluation has been completed showing benefits to children, their teachers and parents.
September 2004 - June 2006
Improving asthma care in the community
£9,000 | Wolverhampton Primary Care Trust
Aims: To improve the knowledge and understanding of asthma among health professionals by providing funding for twenty Education for Health courses.
Status: All twenty staff, from a variety of different healthcare professions, have completed this course. The final evaluation is due to be completed shortly.
December 2004 - August 2006
Paediatric asthma management in schools
£7,000 | Halton Primary Care Trust
Aims: To develop a coordinated approach to asthma management for children between health and education services.
Status: Project completed: a CD on asthma has been produced and distributed to all primary and secondary schools in Halton. First aid training was also provided for school teachers. Awareness of asthma has increased. A presentation was given at the Airways Conference in January 2005. The final evaluation was completed in February 2006.
June 2004 - February 2006
Shropshire schools asthma project
£6,800 | Royal Shrewsbury Hospital Trust
Aims: To audit the current provision in Shropshire schools and to develop an asthma resource pack for school nurses.
Status: Audit data from over 200 primary schools was collected and a report is shortly to be presented to the Local Education Authority. Progress has been slower than anticipated.
September 2004 - September 2006
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for anxiety triggered and exacerbated asthma in children.
£6,170 | United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust
Aims: To reduce anxiety, improve quality of life, reduce medication and emergency episodes. A respiratory nurse specialist will undertake sessions in asthma clinics with children aged between 7-16 years.
June 2006 - November 2007
Wakefield Asthma Toolkit
£3,900 | Eastern Wakefield Primary Care Trust
Aims: To develop a toolkit (asthma risk register) for use by primary care health professionals.
Status: The toolkit produced has been highly regarded and circulated beyond the PCT throughout Yorkshire Strategic Helath Authority.
June 2004 - March 2005
Children's summer asthma camp
£2,500 | Pontypridd and Rhondda NHS Trust
Aims: To run a daytime holiday for children with asthma by respiratory nurses for 20 children at an outward bound activity centre. (There will be no overnight accomodation as with the Kick Asthma holidays). The planned itinerary includes incorporating team building activities, rockclimbing, canoeing, singing and the arts.
July 2006 - August 2006
Angus LHCC (Tayside Primary Care Trust)
£1,780 | Angus LHCC (Tayside Primary Care Trust)
Aims: To develop and implement a partnership approach to asthma management in schools.
Status: Asthma UK funded the training costs for this project that is now completed. Demand for the training was higher than expected, with 180 staff participating. This has led to improved working relationships between the health trust and local authorities.
May 2004 - December 2004
Health professionals
Challenge Fund projects
