The Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC) at NHS England and Improvement, working with the AHSN Network, is rolling out FeNO testing to help improve the diagnosis of asthma. As part of this roll out, Wessex AHSN has produced an extensive online resource area to help implement FeNO testing locally.
More about the FeNO test
Over 5.4 million people in the UK suffer from asthma, with the NHS spending £1.1 billion on asthma treatment and management annually. 90% of this cost goes directly on asthma medication, including the high prescription of steroid inhalers. 30% of patients currently diagnosed with asthma are suspected to have been misdiagnosed.
The FeNO test works by measuring fractional exhaled nitric oxide (‘FeNO’) in the breath of patients, and providing a score. Nitric oxide is a biomarker for asthma which provides an indication of the level of inflammation in the lungs. This can improve patient care and outcomes by:
- More accurate and effective diagnosis of patients suspected of having asthma
- Better understanding of an individual patient’s condition in relation to their FeNO score
- Adjusting doses of steroids or guide biological agents treatment
In this short video from Wessex AHSN, Jayne Longstaff, Respiratory Nurse Specialist, talks through the benefits of FeNO in diagnosis and management of asthma:
Resources
Access Wessex AHSN’s FeNO testing implementation toolkit here.
An overview of Wessex AHSN’s implementation resources is available here.
Contact us
If you would like to get involved in this project please contact Clare Evans, Deputy Director of Service and System Transformation – clare.evans14@nhs.net or Charlotte Hallett, Senior Project Manager- charlotte.hallett2@nhs.net.
