Ask to take part

Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.

Contact Information:

Dr Anna Selby
None provided
parc@soton.ac.uk


Study Location:

Find another location


Questions to ask
Skip to Main Content
English | Cymraeg
Be Part of Research - Trial Details - Prescription Alerts for Reliever inhalers in Children (PARC) project
Back

Prescription Alerts for Reliever inhalers in Children (PARC) project

Recruiting

Open to: All Genders

Age: Child

Reading Southampton Newport

Medical Conditions

Paediatric asthma

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


Many children and teenagers have asthma; a long-term lung condition causing wheezing and breathlessness. Severe asthma attacks may need hospital treatment and can be life-threatening. Two types of inhalers are used to treat asthma: relievers and preventers. Children using high numbers of reliever inhalers are more likely to have severe asthma attacks. It has therefore been recommended that these children should have an urgent check-up. This does not yet routinely happen. This study aims to determine whether children (aged 1-17 years) prescribed 7 or more reliever inhalers in the past year invited to an enhanced nurse-led check-up will have fewer asthma attacks in the following year.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

01 Jul 2024 30 Sep 2026

General practices across the Wessex and Thames Valley regions will randomly be divided into two groups:
1. Practices offering enhanced asthma check-ups (intervention practices).
2. Practices providing usual asthma care (control practices).

Practices will be asked to identify children aged 1-17 years who have been prescribed 7 or more reliever inhalers in the past year. In intervention practices, these children will be invited for an asthma check-up. This will be undertaken by a specially trained general practice nurse. At the check-up, the team will explore reasons for poor asthma control including symptom triggers, prescribed asthma treatment and whether treatments are taken as prescribed. The children's inhaler techniques will also be checked and families will be provided with an asthma action plan.

At the end of the project, the number of severe asthma attacks in a year in children from intervention and usual care practices will be compared. The study will also evaluate the cost-effectiveness of providing enhanced check-ups to children prescribed high numbers of reliever inhalers and will talk to some children, their parents and health professionals about their experience of the check-up. This will help with introducing them into routine practice if they prove effective.


Children aged 1-17 years old who have been prescribed 7 or more reliever inhalers in the past year

What does the study involve?
General practices across the Wessex and Thames Valley regions will randomly be divided into two groups:
1. Practices offering enhanced asthma check-ups (intervention practices).
2. Practices providing usual asthma care (control practices).
Practices will be asked to identify children aged 1-17 years who have been prescribed 7 or more reliever inhalers in the past year. In intervention practices, these children will be invited for an asthma check-up. This will be undertaken by a specially trained general practice nurse. At the check-up, the team will explore reasons for poor asthma control including symptom triggers, prescribed asthma treatment and whether treatments are taken as prescribed. The children's inhaler techniques will also be checked and families will be provided with an asthma action plan.
At the end of the project, the number of severe asthma attacks in a year in children from intervention and usual care practices will be compared. The study will also evaluate the cost-effectiveness of providing enhanced check-ups to children prescribed high numbers of reliever inhalers and will talk to some children, their parents and health professionals about their experience of the check-up. This will help with introducing them into routine practice if they prove effective.

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Other (in addition to asthma) long-term respiratory condition e.g. cystic fibrosis. 2. Enrolled in another interventional research study. 3. Participant or parent/guardian unable to communicate sufficiently (with an interpreter where available) to complete consent forms and have an asthma review.


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • Royal Berkshire Hospital
    London Road
    Reading
    RG1 5AN
  • Southampton General Hospital
    Tremona Road
    Southampton
    SO16 6YD
  • St Marys Hospital
    Parkhurst Road
    Newport
    PO30 5TG

Taking part in this project may improve participants’ asthma control and reduce their chance of having asthma attacks in the future. It may also improve their quality of life as asthma can affect people’s sleep and ability to take part in activities e.g. sports. Their participation will also help to improve our understanding of how to manage asthma in children and young people and therefore, may benefit others. If participants attend a check-up, they will be given a £5 voucher as a thank-you for their time.
There are minimal risks associated with taking part in this project. The check-up is similar to a standard annual asthma check-up but will be longer and more detailed. No new medications are being tested and no tests will be performed.

Dr Anna Selby
None provided
parc@soton.ac.uk



The study is sponsored by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and funded by Research for Patient Benefit Programme.



We'd like your feedback

Your feedback is important to us. It will help us improve the quality of the study information on this site. Please answer both questions.


Is this study information helpful?

What will you do next?
Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN12460754

Or CPMS 60369

Last updated 26 July 2024

This page is to help you find out about a research study and if you may be able to take part

You can print or share the study information with your GP/healthcare provider or contact the research team directly.   

Back to the top