The Local Asthma Impact Project (LAIP) in the North West of England

The Local Asthma Impact Project in the North West of England was established to ensure that Asthma UK could:

  • maximise opportunities arising from a greater emphasis on regional and local decision making in health to influence asthma services
  • extend our reach to more people with asthma at a local and regional level.

After a consultation on how the work should be taken forward it was agreed that Asthma UK would pilot a regional presence in the North West of England, evaluate the impact of this pilot and develop similar regional projects in other parts of the UK.

Download the original research (255 kb) [doc]

 

Why was the North West of England chosen as the pilot site for the project?

LAIP image 2009To mark World Asthma Day on 6 May 2008, Asthma UK released a UK-wide report ‘Wish you Were Here’, which revealed the differences in the numbers of emergency hospital admissions for people with asthma, with the most worrying trends in England. 

The figures show:

  • an eight-fold difference between Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) across England
  • the North West highlighted as the region with the highest overall admissions for children
  •  21 out of the 24 PCTs within the region, have emergency admissions above the national average, and seven out of the top ten PCTs with the highest children’s admissions for asthma are in the North West.
  • Children's hospital admissions for asthma in the North West were 110% higher than in the East of the country. So, children with asthma in the North West were more than twice as likely to be admitted to hospital for their asthma than in the East of England.

The aims of the Local Asthma Impact Project:

LAIP image 2009 [2]The main strategic goal agreed in the 2007-2008 Annual Plan was to scope, plan and deliver a pilot for an Asthma UK presence in the North West of England.

Objectives:

  • to work with Primary Care Trusts, and other key organisations to improve asthma awareness, control and self management in areas of high deprivation and with particular needs as identified in ‘The Asthma Divide’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’ reports
  • to ensure asthma is given a higher priority in local plans for commissioning and delivery of health services
  • to raise awareness among health and education professionals and people with asthma around asthma and self management
  • to promote best practice to achieve improved health outcomes.

To support the aims and objectives, the project employed a full time project manager and has four hours a week of asthma nurse specialist time.

 

Who we are working with?

Asthma UK has invested over £100,000 in the North West of England with the aim of reducing the high numbers of emergency admissions for asthma in the region.

Asthma UK has targeted its resources to support Primary Care Trusts, with the highest hospital admissions for asthma, to develop and implement an action plan with the overall, long-term, aim of reducing hospital admissions for people with asthma.

From the £100,000 funding,  Liverpool, Knowsley and Oldham PCTs will each receive £20,000 and a further £40,000 is being dedicated towards supporting these and other asthma projects in the North West. 

 

Newsletter

 

Have your say

Are you a healthcare professional living/working in Liverpool, Knowlsey or Oldham? Click here to take our survey

 

Contact

If you'd like further information about the Local Asthma Impact Project in the North West of England, including progress reports, please contact Fran Alecock on franalecock@asthma.org.uk