Pioneering pilot scheme to target improved outcomes in childhood asthma
A groundbreaking initiative to support University Hospitals of North Midlands patients whose conditions may be made worse by their home environment has been expanded to prevent the exacerbation of childhood asthma among children living in a cold home.
Fuel poverty charity, Beat the Cold, partnered with UHNM in 2016 to launch Keep Warm, Keep Well which helps patients by breaking the cycle of readmissions through identifying those whose health would be at risk from cold home and providing affordable warmth.
Led by Louise Stockdale, Head of Transformation and Sustainability for University Hospitals of North Midlands, Beat the Cold is now collaborating with North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust and its in house Transformation Management Office to identify homes where health outcomes could be improved by warmer living conditions.
Loiusie said: “This project is one of the first of its kind being introduced in the UK and uses a deep focus on data to accurately target those most at risk of fuel poverty.
“The pilot will initially target 10 patients a month, looking at indicators of childhood asthma diagnosis, combined with indices of multiple deprivation. We will then be able to support those households, through Beat the Cold’s energy advice service.
“Our plan is to scale-up the programme, by targeting other patient cohorts who are at risk of cold-related ill health exacerbation.”
The scheme - piloted at Hanley-based Moorcroft Medical Centre - involves innovative software being deployed to target patient diagnoses of childhood asthma and other indicators of cold-related risk.
A text message service from the medical centre will then signpost targeted patients to support available from Beat the Cold, a Stoke-on-Trent charitable organisation that helps vulnerable families living in cold homes to access support and advice to reduce their risk associated with fuel poverty across the city and in Staffordshire.
Dr Fatima Elgizawy, Primary Care Clinical Director, NS Combined Healthcare NHS trust, Said: “We are proud that the Moorcroft Medical Centre is the first practice in Staffordshire to use data to identify children with an asthma diagnosis, who need proactive support within their homes.
“By providing our medical team with this comprehensive information, we aim to reduce fuel poverty amongst this selected patient group and reduce the frequency of asthma exacerbations.
“Importantly, this initiative is also expected to alleviate the burden on both primary and secondary healthcare services.
‘Keep Warm, Keep Well’ provides a circular approach to alleviating fuel poverty and patient readmissions, through solar panels installed across seven buildings on the University Hospital of North Midlands estate in Stoke-on-Trent supporting a community fund, led by Staffordshire Community Energy, with surplus funds used by Beat the Cold for its pioneering work with patients in the local area.
Focused on making tangible differences at scale, the Beat the Cold team has an extensive record of delivering expertise and insight to support the health care sector.
The charitable organisation was an expert witness in the development of National Institute for Health Care and Excellence (NICE) guidance G6, which sets out how to reduce the health risks, including preventable deaths, associated with living in a cold home.
Fiona Miller, Development and Partnership Manager at Beat the Cold, said: “We’re proud to work alongside North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust to develop such an innovative way to reach patients and continue to break the cycle of readmissions. We are looking forward to extending the work to reflect wider health conditions affected by the risk of fuel poverty.
“Last year we had a total of 10,543 enquiries across our entire service and we are constantly working with our partners to further enhance our health and housing referral service.
“Homes that are cold or damp through fuel poverty increase health inequalities, and can cause and worsen respiratory conditions such as asthma and COPD. Cold living conditions can also impact cardiovascular diseases, poor mental health, dementia, hypothermia and problems with childhood development.
“In some circumstances, health problems may be exacerbated to such a degree through cold homes that they may cause death. This is the seriousness of fuel poverty .
She added: “There is a significant NHS spend on preventable winter illness. By developing intervention strategies as early as possible, this pilot scheme could play a much-needed role in reducing health inequalities, whilst supporting hospital trusts with demand management, and patient flow.”