New videos launched to encourage patients with asthma to switch to greener inhaler
Written by AlisonFreemantle on Thursday 28th September 2023
Created by NHS England’s South East Regional Greener team
A range of new videos have been launched to encourage people with asthma to switch to a new dry powdered inhaler to benefit their health and the environment.
The videos are aimed at both people living with asthma and medical professionals who prescribe the medication. They cover a range of topics from patients’ perspectives including raising awareness of what dry powdered inhalers are and how they can be beneficial for a patient and the environment, how to choose the best inhaler, what a patient can expect at a respiratory review.
The videos will form part of a week-long campaign to raise awareness of the new dry powdered inhalers and how they can be used to reduce carbon footprints.
The videos can be found here:
Inhalers are used in a variety of respiratory conditions, ranging from asthma to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The majority of the emissions come from the propellant in metered-dose inhalers (MDIs) used to deliver the medicine, rather than the medicine itself.
Dr Vaughan Lewis SE Regional Medical Director for the NHS said: “A key ambition in the NHS’s Long Term Plan is to lower carbon emissions. Encouraging patients with asthma to consider changing to dry powdered inhalers will play a part in reducing carbon footprints. This can easily be achieved through a conversation between the patient and their prescribing clinician.
“The new videos created will help to raise awareness of carbon-free inhalers and their benefits to both patients and the environment.”
Resources are available for specialists, prescribers and patients to support decision-making, including National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (NICE’s) Asthma Patient Decision Aid to support shared decision-making and a shift to low carbon inhalers.
Michael’s story can be found here: https://youtu.be/PDWUEOu39_E
The full playlist can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGzFXP4ZR649lHBvubq2dGfg8JRQ9apjL