Paediatric nurses at Treetops Ward at University Hospital of North Durham have been recognised after helping improve asthma care for children and young people. The ward team was named the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust’s Team of the Month for August.
The recognition was shared with the paediatric nursing team on Ward 21 at Darlington Memorial Hospital. Staff at both hospitals worked together to identify improvements and change how asthma care was delivered.
More children receive checks before discharge
The teams used learning from the National Respiratory Audit Programme to identify areas where care could be strengthened. Their work has increased the proportion of children and young people receiving an inhaler technique check before leaving hospital from 65% to 89.5%.
The proportion receiving a personal asthma action plan has also risen from 49.6% to 81.6%. The trust said both results compare favourably with reported England and Wales averages: 62% for inhaler technique checks and 54.4% for personal asthma action plans.
Recognition for cross-hospital work
The nomination recognised colleagues across both wards, working with paediatric asthma and allergy nurse specialists and the paediatric practice educator. Together, they used audit findings to share good practice and strengthen asthma care for young patients and their families.
Members of the trust’s Executive Team visited both wards to present Team of the Month certificates and congratulate staff. The recognition follows changes that have produced measurable improvements in the information and practical support provided before children and young people leave hospital.