In an ambitious national initiative, NHS Wales and Public Health Wales have developed a suite of national interventions to streamline asthma care for children and adults, including Patient-facing Apps, Standardised National Management Protocols, and digital education, certification, and QI initiatives available for all healthcare workers. Launched in 2020 together with a parallel App for COPD, and supported by a national implementation strategy, approximately 13,000 patients have downloaded the Adult and Paediatric Asthma Apps.

The Asthma Apps aim to:

? Educate and empower patients and parents.

? Introduce Digital Personal Asthma Action Plans (PAAP).

? Introduce a monthly self-monitoring tool to improve self-management [The Asthma Checker].

? Steamline and standardise healthcare interactions across all healthcare settings.

? Provide regional feedback on performance with regard to Good Asthma Care.

? Collect national epidemiological data on asthma control in the community.

99% of GP practices in Wales have patients using the Apps. Data suggest there is no variation in uptake by geography or deprivation index.

In an initial survey of 370 App users, respondents reported a subjective improvement in their condition, a 22% decrease in GP attendances, and 16% decrease in admissions. In the subgroup of patients who had used their App for >six months and were accessing it >once/month, respondents reported a 36% decrease in GP attendances and an 18% decrease in hospital admissions.

These national initiatives will enable NHS Wales to track long-term outcomes in asthma management, asthma control, standards in healthcare delivery and NHS service utilisation.