Over £100,000 is to be spent to radically improve children’s asthma services in Yorkshire and Humberside to mark World Asthma Day 2009, thanks to a joint initiative between NHS Yorkshire & the Humber and Asthma UK.

The investment into the Yorkshire and Humber Asthma Impact Project was announced this week on World Asthma Day (5th May) by Christine Outram (pictured, left), chief exective of Leeds Prmary Care Trust at the YHIP Children’s Asthma Summit held in Wakefield.

The Yorkshire and Humber Asthma Impact Project will support the work NHS Yorkshire and the Humber is already doing to halve emergency childhood asthma admissions over the next 10 years. Asthma hotspots such as Hull and Doncaster, where admissions are high, will be targeted. 

Rosie Newbigging (pictured right), Executive Director (Nations, Regions and Services) from Asthma UK said:

“We are delighted with the commitment NHS Yorkshire and the Humber has shown to really improving quality of life for children with asthma. As our report Missing Out shows, many children miss out on school and other opportunities. Sadly, children can still die as a result of asthma attacks and many thousands more face emergency admissions to hospital.”

Professor Ian Lewis, Chair of Children's Clinical Pathway Group at NHS Yorkshire and the Humber said:

“We need to improve our services to ensure that children with asthma receive the very best care and enjoy a normal childhood. We are thrilled that Asthma UK has recognised our ambition and we will work together to achieve these goals.”

The summit brought together asthma clinical experts, healthcare professionals and directors of children’s services from across Yorkshire & the Humber with representatives from Asthma UK to discuss how asthma affects children in the region and plan the action needed to address the problem.

Download presentations from the day:

• Keith Brownle

• Margaret Graham

• Rob Primhak

• Steve Callaghan

• Chris Doyle

• Rosie Newbigging

Notes to Editors

1. The summit was held as part of a number of events to mark World Asthma Day including events in London, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and Birmingham.

2. Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.4 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by asthma.

3. For up-to-date news on asthma, information and publications, visit the Asthma UK website www.asthma.org.uk.

4. Confidential advice about asthma is available by speaking to a nurse on the Asthma UK Adviceline, on 0800 121 62 44 (Monday – Friday, from 9.00am-5.00pm). Or email an asthma nurse at asthma.org.uk/adviceline

5. For more information contact Susan Bottomley YHIP Children, Young People and Families programme lead.