Transforming Childhood Asthma Care Across South East London

South East London ICB faced a significant public health challenge: childhood asthma emergency admissions were 40% higher than the national average. With over 12,000 children living with asthma across the region, the pressure on emergency services was unsustainable.

The fragmented nature of care was a key contributor. Families struggled to share critical information between GP practices, hospitals, and schools. During emergencies, vital details about triggers, medications, and action plans were often unavailable, leading to delayed treatment and unnecessary hospital stays.

Additionally, health inequalities meant that children in more deprived areas were disproportionately affected, with limited access to specialist asthma nurses and education programmes. The ICB needed a solution that could democratise access to quality asthma care while reducing the burden on acute services.

In partnership with TinyMedicalApps, South East London ICB launched a comprehensive Digital Asthma Passport programme across all six constituent boroughs: Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham, and Southwark.

The implementation focused on three key pillars: clinical integration, school engagement, and family empowerment. Each child received a personalised digital passport containing their asthma action plan, medication schedules, trigger information, and emergency protocols—all co-created with their healthcare team.

A network of 45 asthma nurses was trained as Passport Champions, responsible for enrolling families and ensuring the digital tools were properly configured. Schools received dedicated training sessions, with staff learning how to access emergency information and support children during flare-ups.

The programme also integrated with the ICB's shared care record, ensuring that when a child presented at A&E, clinicians could immediately access their asthma passport for rapid, informed treatment decisions.

Within 18 months of the programme launch, South East London ICB achieved a 38% reduction in emergency admissions for childhood asthma—bringing their rates below the national average for the first time in a decade.

The impact extended beyond hospital statistics. Family confidence in managing asthma at home increased dramatically, with 89% reporting they felt "confident" or "very confident" in handling symptoms—up from just 34% before the programme.

Schools reported fewer asthma-related absences, with participating schools seeing a 25% reduction in school days lost to asthma. Teachers felt better equipped to support children, with 94% rating the Passport training as "excellent" or "very good".

The programme has been recognised with the NHS Innovation Award 2024 and is now being studied as a model for other ICBs looking to implement similar digital health interventions.

Building on this success, South East London ICB is expanding the programme in several directions. A pilot scheme integrating air quality alerts with the Asthma Passport is underway, allowing families to receive proactive warnings during high pollution days.

The ICB is also developing a peer support network, connecting families with similar experiences to share tips and encouragement. Early results from the pilot suggest this community element significantly improves ongoing engagement with asthma management.

Plans are in place to extend the programme to adolescents transitioning to adult services, ensuring continuity of care during this vulnerable period.