Improving asthma care for children and young people through reflection

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Respiratory Medicine
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Asthma remains a significant health concern in the UK, with evidence suggesting suboptimal management and preventable deaths.
• Non-medical prescribers play a crucial role in patient care and are expected to engage in reflective practice and peer review of prescribing decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To share learning from a local peer review of non-medical prescribing decisions in asthma care.
• To highlight the slow pace of change in children's healthcare and the need for better implementation of existing guidelines.

Main Methods:

• A local peer review process involving non-medical prescribers.
• Reflection on prescribing decisions within the context of asthma management.
• Analysis of the time lag in adopting evidence-based recommendations into practice.

Main Results:

• The peer review process identified a need for wider dissemination of learning regarding asthma management.
• Older, established recommendations for asthma care are still not consistently embedded in current practice.
• Change in pediatric care practices is often slow, with some foundational recommendations remaining underutilized.

Conclusions:

• There is a continued need to improve asthma management strategies in the UK.
• Effective implementation of evidence-based guidelines, especially for pediatric asthma care, requires ongoing effort and attention.
• Sharing learning from reflective practice among non-medical prescribers is vital for advancing patient care.