Your Right to Challenge

Neil Churchill, Chief executive for Asthma UK, asks in his blog  "If you were unhappy with the quality of a local NHS service, would you want the right to challenge it?”

Apparently “One of the reforms the Government is considering is a Right to Challenge within the NHS. They envisage it could be used by patients to challenge poor quality. They also think it might be used by charities who think a service could be delivered more effectively.”

As a nation we used to have a reputation as a people who were slow to stand up for their rights. To encourage British shoppers to have confidence in getting a “better deal” the Office of Fair Trading launched a campaign way back in 2003 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2682707.stm which according to the latest research seems to have done the trick and we are now more likely to complain than any of our European neighbours!

So just what can you do if you feel the NHS care or treatment you receive is not up to scratch?

We do already have an independent organisation whose purpose is to help you in many ways and they have representatives available in most hospitals as well as on line.

The Patient Advice and Liaison on Service.

http://www.pals.nhs.uk/default.aspx

They can help you, your family or your carer with health-related questions, help resolve concerns or problems when you’re using the NHS, and help you to get more involved in your own healthcare.

Asthma UK are aware from patient feedback and from NHS data that asthma care is quite variable. There is much good practice but also pockets where standards are poor and believe that a Right to Challenge could allow patients to demand improvements. They are asking if there was a Right to Challenge would you use it? Why not join the debate here
http://blog.asthma.org.uk/making_use_of_the_ri.html

Big Up Your Chest?

 Asthma UK has a Facebook page for young people with asthma, full of multimedia information about asthma.It allows young people to share their experiences with their peers.

Around one in 12 people in the UK has asthma a large number of students with asthma will be starting university in September and October, which traditionally sees an increase in preventable hospital admissions among 16-24 year olds.

This struck a chord with us on several levels.

On a personal level we too waved goodbye to our daughter, who is an asthma sufferer, as she started out on her new exciting University career trusting she would be supported.

On a business level, as over the summer we do receive many calls from concerned parents whose children are starting at College or University as well as parents whose children are embarking on adventure holidays or a gap year.

And right here on the blog as Wendy's story reflects everything the Asthma UK project is about. It was during her time at University that her Asthma really “kicked off’’ and how when she was only 23 years old it had consequences she couldn’t have even begun to imagine.

So if you are a worried parent or a young person you can find lots of useful information on their Facebook page  http://www.facebook.com/bigupyourchest

Thankfully our daughter has remained happy and healthy. She attends for regular asthma checks and has established local links where she can drop in if she needs to seek help or advice and of course she still has us.

Hopefully many other young people who are about to embark on adventures will, by following its simple but effective advice, enjoy a smooth, happy healthy start to their new lives.

Good luck to them all.

My nebuliser isn't working. Help.

What can you do if you think your nebuliser isn’t working?

The first obvious step is to try not to panic.

A nebuliser for home use is not really a complicated machine, but can at first be daunting if you are unfamiliar with it or short of breath. Ideally when you first purchased your nebuliser you would have spent a little time familiarising yourself with its operation and maintenance.

Begin by rereading your instruction manual and in particular run through the ‘trouble shooting guide.’ Some manufacturers are putting this information on line. 

Trouble shooting generally involves taking a systematic approach, checking each component from the mains plug through to the filter and accessories ensuring that each part is present, complete, and in clean working order. Things such as a dirty filter, residual medication in the chamber, a kink in the air tube or a missing component such as a vaporiser head or baffle can result in your medication not turning into a mist for you to breathe in. Problems such as these are easily solved and we recommend you always keep an adequate supply of replacement accessories.

Other questions to ask yourself are:

Am I using the correct accessories for my nebuliser?

Often when your ill and in and out of hospital it is easy to mix up which chamber, mask etc. matches which nebuliser as not all are compatible with all machines, and mismatched or worn out accessories can result in a poor output.

Is my nebuliser one which requires an annual service in order to maintain optimum output?

If your not sure you can call us or the manufacturer. There may be a service agent local to you.

Am I using the correct nebuliser and chamber for the medication I have been prescribed?

Therapy regimes change as research is constantly moving forward. If your medical practitioner prescribes a new medication you may find your old nebuliser is just not up to the job. There is lots of independent advice available and manufacturers are constantly updating their products to meet new requirements.

Are you thinking your nebuliser isn’t working properly when really you should be ringing your G.P.

Nebulisers can fail but as you are no doubt aware, anyone with a chest condition is vulnerable and your health can quickly deteriorate even after your nebuliser therapy

And finally if it is broken then think back, just how old is it? Is it still covered by its warranty? In which case speak to whoever you purchased it from or possibly the manufactures who may be happy to assist you directly. Many companies have excellent customer service departments and most nebulisers should have at least a 3 year warranty, but this can pass surprising quickly. Short term, many hospital authorities may have a unit you can loan but long term they are becoming and less available. You can contact your medical practitioner or seek independent advice as to just what the situation is where you are. If it is time to buy a new nebuliser then why not have a look round this blog as it provides lots of information to help guide you. Check out our website, send us an email, or simply give us a call on 01942 701210 as we are always happy to help.