In early 2020, work began to develop a Knowsley high-risk Asthma Clinic (K-HAC) organised by the Knowsley Integrated Asthma Service.
Through close collaboration with primary and specialist care colleagues, the pioneering service identified high-risk asthma patients and planned how to best manage their care while meeting COVID-19 related restrictions.
This programme is now being rolled out across the area and it is hoped it will be more widely adopted.
Offering routine proactive primary care for respiratory patients became a challenge during the pandemic. With 500 patients classed as at high risk without care, their existing conditions could deteriorate, and they may also be at increased risk of developing other long-term conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
UCL Partners produced a set of guides for assessing and planning the management of patients’ care.
These tools were introduced to the Knowsley team by Health Innovation North West Coast and through collaboration with clinicians at Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust were modified to develop a new model which met the needs of patients during the pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the delivery of routine patient reviews; however, this new model has enabled reviews to continue through delivery of this project which is now contributing to improvements in patient safety within the population of Knowsley.
Resources
Proactive care frameworks from UCLPartners
A series of proactive care frameworks to support primary care teams to manage patients with cardiovascular and respiratory long-term conditions
Knowsley Community Respiratory Services
A community chronic obstructive pulmonary disease service in partnership with Knowsley Clinical Commissioning Group and Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
The Respiratory Unit at the Royal Liverpool University & Broadgreen University Hospital
A very wide range of diagnostic tests and treatments for all types of chest and lung disorders
