The families of children and young people who have asthma are being asked for their views about a ‘new’ nursing service in Stoke-on-Trent.

The Asthma Nurse Service used to provide a specialist nurse who would visit homes, schools, or GP surgeries to advise young people and their families on how to safely manage the condition.

The service was paused at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB want to reinstate it.

Dr Paul Edmondson-Jones, Chief Medical Officer of the ICB said: “Asthma is the most common long-term medical condition in children and young people, affecting around one in 11 in the UK.

“Asthma is responsible for many Emergency Department attendances and hospital admissions. The admission rate for children and young people in Stoke-on-Trent is significantly higher than the England average.

“We are now designing an updated nurse role to help with intervention and management of asthma in the community.

“Children and young people who have been told by a healthcare professional that they have asthma or might have asthma, who are poorly managed or at high risk of needing to go to the Emergency Department will benefit greatly from this service.

“It is crucial that the new service meets local needs, so we want to hear from local service users and their families about their experiences of asthma services.”

An online survey is available until Sunday November 27.