Important Asthma information and advice

Advice and Information - 18 July 2024

As the end of the school term approaches, parents and carers in the Black Country are being reminded of the importance of managing their child’s asthma over the summer.

Asthma is a lung condition that affects around one in every 11 children and causes symptoms like coughing, wheezing and breathlessness.

It varies from one child to the next, but most types of asthma can be managed well by using a preventer inhaler every day to control their asthma. A reliever (blue) inhaler may be needed occasionally if symptoms flare up.
A young girl in a focus group

The NHS has created a video with a Black Country respiratory nurse, Louise Tipping, discussing the importance of keeping of top of your child’s asthma over the summer holidays. You can watch the video on YouTube here.

Louise said: “Asthma attacks tend to increase significantly in September after the school holidays, likely due to disruptions in medication routines during the summer break. However, by taking a few simple steps, parents can help their child to avoid asthma attacks and enjoy the summer as much as anyone else.

“Even if your child is feeling well and has been running around all summer, it’s vital to keep on top of their asthma medication and ensure they’re taking their preventer inhaler as instructed by their GP or asthma nurse. This means they’ll have the best level of protection before they head back into the classroom.

“Follow your child’s personal asthma action plan and keep it handy so you know what to do if their symptoms are triggered. And, importantly, always be asthma ready. An asthma attack can be life-threatening, and you should make sure your child always keeps an in-date reliever inhaler (usually blue) with them.”

Anyone with asthma is at risk of having an asthma attack, which usually needs urgent medical treatment. Asthma attacks can even be fatal. This is why it is crucial to ensure children and young people take their medication even when feeling well, and to take action if their asthma seems to be getting worse.

For more information on how to manage your child’s asthma, visit the Black Country 0-18 website.

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Accessing NHS services during the festive season

Ahead of the festive period people in the Black Country are being reminded how to access health services.
Due to the Christmas and New Year Bank Holidays, some services such as GP surgeries and pharmacies may be closed or operating reduced opening hours.

A number of pharmacies across the Black Country will be open for periods of time on Christmas
Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. They can offer health consultations and provide free medication for many common health conditions without the need for a GP prescription under the Pharmacy First scheme. This includes coughs, urine infections, conjunctivitis, diarrhoea and indigestion.

People who need medical help that isn’t an emergency should contact NHS 111 in the first instance by visiting 111.nhs.uk or by calling 111.

NHS 111 can help direct people to the most appropriate local health service if they aren’t sure where to go – this could include an out of hours GP, a pharmacy, a local NHS walk-in centre, or a hospital accident & emergency (A&E) department.

Dr Ananta Dave, Chief Medical Officer for the NHS Black Country ICB, said: “No one wants to get ill over Christmas, but it’s really important to make sure you know where to go for urgent health advice and treatment over the festive period in case you or a loved one becomes unwell.

“A number of pharmacies will be open over the festive season and should be your first port of call for any minor illnesses. Pharmacists are qualified health professionals who can offer advice and medicines for a range of ailments. And, if symptoms suggest it’s something more serious, they have the right training to make sure patients get the help they need. “If you need medical help or have any health concerns over Christmas and New Year period, please do not be put off from seeking help. The NHS is here for you, and you should always seek help if you need it.”

If you or a loved one becomes unwell over the festive period and is in need of urgent health advice or treatment – particularly over the bank holidays when GP practices will be closed – contact NHS 111 by dialling 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk.

A&E departments and 999 are there to treat the most serious and life-threatening conditions.

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Last chance to book COVID-19 vaccine

Eligible people are being reminded to book a COVID-19 vaccination appointment now.

The COVID-19 vaccination programme started in October and more than 120,000 people in the Black Country have come forward for a vaccine.

Following advice from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), those eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine now have until Friday 20 December to book an appointment via the NHS website, the NHS App or by calling 119.

After this date, COVID-19 vaccinations will only be available at local pop-up clinics on a walk-in basis.

Flu vaccines will still be available after 20 December and people can continue to book appointments via the NHS website or their local pharmacy.

People are eligible for a COVID-19 and flu vaccination if they are aged 65 or over, pregnant, aged 6 months to 64 years in clinical risk groups, live in a care home for older adults, or are a frontline health and social care worker.

Sally Roberts, Chief Nursing Officer for the NHS Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: “Our winter vaccination programme has seen over 120,000 eligible people receive their COVID-19 vaccine so far, which is fantastic.

“Both the COVID-19 and flu vaccines can provide important protection to those eligible and their families ahead of Christmas and over winter, helping to prevent serious illness and minimise hospitalisations during the busy winter months.

“There are now only a few weeks left to book a COVID-19 vaccine appointment either online or by calling 119 as the offer of ends on 20 December. So, I would encourage anyone eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine who hasn’t yet come forward to book an appointment while they can.”

Community pop-up clinics will remain available at a range of locations across the Black Country, with flu and COVID-19 vaccines available for eligible adults on a walk-in basis, with no
appointment necessary.
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Ask your pharmacist for health advice

This Ask Your Pharmacist Week (4-11 November), people in the Black Country are being reminded to speak to their local pharmacist for any health advice this winter.

Ask Your Pharmacist Week is an annual initiative organised by the National Pharmacy Association, which aims to raise awareness of the full range of services on offer in pharmacies.

This year’s theme is ‘professional and convenient healthcare, from your local pharmacy team’, highlighting the skills and knowledge of community pharmacists and the wider pharmacy team, and their track record of safely delivering clinical services.

At a time when the NHS is preparing for what is expected to be a challenging winter, people are being reminded of this vital line of support that is available in their local pharmacy.

Patients can also get treatment for seven common conditions directly from their local pharmacy, without the need to visit a GP. The Pharmacy First service enables pharmacists to offer advice to patients and supply NHS medicines (including antibiotics), where clinically appropriate, for:
• Sinusitis (aged 12 years and over)
• Sore throat (aged 5 years and over)
• Earache (aged 1 year to 17 years)
• Infected insect bite (aged 1 year and over)
• Impetigo - a bacterial skin infection (aged 1 year and over)
• Shingles (aged 18 years and over)
• Uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women (women aged 16 years to 64 years).

If you have symptoms that suggest you may have one of these conditions, you can walk into a pharmacy and be offered a consultation with the pharmacist. Should the pharmacy team be unable to help, you will be directed to your GP surgery or A&E as appropriate.

The NHS has created a video with local pharmacist, Salman Ahmad, talking about the Pharmacy First scheme.

Salman said: “Ask Your Pharmacist Week is a great opportunity for us to highlight the important
role pharmacists play in helping people to stay well, especially as we head into the winter
months.
“As experts in medicine, pharmacists can help you with almost any health concerns you may have, whether that's providing treatment on the spot or signposting you to the right alternative NHS service.

“And, with the new Pharmacy First scheme, community pharmacists can now supply prescription-only medicines where clinically appropriate to help with seven common health conditions which would previously have required a GP appointment.

“It’s vital that people seek medical advice in order to stay safe and well so please don’t wait for minor illnesses to get worse – think pharmacy first and visit your local pharmacy today.”
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