Pathway helps children take a breath
Children with asthma will be diagnosed faster and more accurately part of a new clinical pathway allowing GPs to avoid lengthy hospital referrals and send patients directly to Ealing Community and Diagnostic Centre for tests.
The move reflects national policy that asthma should be diagnosed and treated in primary, not secondary, care.
Philomena Bouzemada, Head of Children’s Paediatric Nursing at LNWH, said: “The pathway offers GPs access to diagnostics and avoids referring children with mild to moderate asthma to a specialist hospital peadiatrician which can mean some children waiting several months for an appointment.
“It’s better for our young patients, our hospitals and GPs who are best placed to support children in the community.”
The CDC has been offering the service to Children and Young People since March with a ‘one stop’ service offering a comprehensive range of tests to diagnose asthma and report back to GPs for further action.
Philomena added: “One-in-eleven young people in London are affected by asthma and North- West London has the highest number of young children who attend and reattend hospital because of asthma complications.”