Hawke's Bay health awards: Asthma project scoops top prize

The programme targeted families waiting for asthma prescriptions and included a respiratory "warrant of fitness" check while waiting for their medication to be dispensed. Photo / File

A Hastings asthma control project was recognised with the Supreme Award at the 9th annual Hawke's Bay Health Awards which were presented in Napier tonight. The award was made to the Hastings Unichem Pharmacy, in Russell St, supported by The Doctors, Hastings, and Breathe Hawke's Bay, recognising its education and improvement tool development "Helping Maori and Pacific Island Children breathe better".

It targeted families waiting for asthma prescriptions and included a respiratory "warrant of fitness" check while waiting for their medication to be dispensed.

As a result of the initiative, amid higher rates of hospital admissions for respiratory disease, 12 families took part in a six-month trial aiming to improve their ACT (Asthma Control Test) scores, and introduced interventions to help patients better manage their conditions.

It included checking inhaler use, and referrals for healthy-home checks, leading to the average ACT score increasing from 13.7 to 21.7, with 83 percent reaching the target of 19 out of 25, regarded as "good control". Consequently, fewer emergency steroids were needed and more preventer inhalers were dispensed.

The early results have been so "overwhelming" that the group involved wants the project delivered throughout Hawke's Bay.

Awards went to winners of six categories, for which there were 29 entries.

Award winners:

Hawke's Bay District Health Board, Outstanding Contribution to Hawke's Bay health: Winner - 'A purpose built one-to-one health and urgent care facility', Hastings Health Centre; Highly commended - Tō Waha, a collaborative approach to whanau-centred oral health care, Tō Waha team.

Health Hawke's Bay, Commitment to working together to improve community health and wellbeing: Joint Winners, 'Poipoi Mokupuna, Presbyterian Support East Coast, Hawke's Bay DHB, Oranga Tamariki, Family Works HB, Te Ikaroa Rangatahi Social Services, and Improving the cervical health outcomes for wahine' - Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga, Hawke's Bay DHB, Choices

Southern Community Laboratories, Excellence in Service Improvement: Winner, 'Improving elective surgery through a redesigned pre-admission process' - Hawke's Bay DHB Pre-Admission Clinic, Perioperative Department and Surgical Services.

Buddle Findlay Excellence in person and whānau-centred care: Joint winners, 'Supportive Care Clinic – Renal 'Dying Well' - Cranford Hospice Trust, Primary Care GP Representative, HBDHB renal service, Maori Health and Pastoral Care teams, and 'Relationship Centred Practice Training'- Hawke's Bay District Health Board

Skyline Aviation, Excellence in the use of knowledge to deliver innovative solutions: Winner, 'He Korowai Manaaki – A protective cloak for Hapū mama and Whānau' – Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust and Te Tātai Hauora O Hine (Centre for Women's Health Research, Victoria University of Wellington); Highly Commended: 'Collaboration brings credentialed nurse mental health service to primary care' – Health Hawke's Bay, Community Hawke's Bay DHB, Hawke's Bay General Practice network.

BAND, Commitment to quality improvement and patient safety: Winner, Helping Maori and Pacific Island Children breathe better: Pharmacy develops respiratory WOF tool.

Royston Hospital Acurity Supreme Award: 'Helping Maori and Pacific Island Children breathe better', Hastings Unichem Pharmacy, supported by The Doctors Hastings and Breathe Hawke's Bay.