PrescQIPP, a Community Interest Company, commissioned the inhaler technique series of 18 videos.
The videos have been made available to all of their members, who make up approximately 95% of UK CCGs. This means thousands of UK residents have access to these informative videos which demonstrate the proper use of inhalers.
To help GP practices use the videos widely and as part of the asthma review process, we are running a trial with two surgeries, part of the OneCare group of GP practices, based in Bristol.
Currently asthma patients are booked in for an Asthma Review. The nurse takes between 20-40 minutes discussing symptoms and checking to see whether the patient needs to change their inhaler or medication.
We have creating an online digital questionnaire that will ask the same questions as in a face to face review appointment.
Annually asthma patients are asked to attend the review so instead they will be sent a text message or email containing a link to the questionnaire and the videos that are included in it.
Once the questionnaire has been filled out, the data will be available for the asthma nurses to review. They will assess whether the patient’s asthma is ‘well-controlled’, ‘moderately-controlled’ or ‘poorly controlled’. Those that are well or moderate and aren’t overusing their blue inhaler won’t be booked in for a follow-up unless the patient feels it’s necessary.
Patients that are categorised as ‘poorly controlled’ or overusing their blue inhaler will be asked to come in for an appointment. Generally this will be shorter than the original review as the asthma nurse will already have gleaned a lot of information from the completed questionnaire.
Using video as part of the asthma pathway
Here’s an example of just one of the videos in the asthma and inhaler technique collection and a link to the OneCare video library containing these and over 350 other heath and care videos:
The aim of the trial is to show that by redesigning the pathway of care can:
- Increase in capacity for GP practices and Asthma Nurses
- Reduce in number of DNAs
- Improvement in experience for asthma patients
- Minimising of costs for practices
If the trial is successful, OneCare will introduce this approach across all of their 83 GP practices.
If you are interested in our asthma videos and interventions, contact our team today.
