Portsmouth Severe Asthma Service celebrates milestone in innovative asthma treatment

The Portsmouth Severe Asthma Service is celebrating reaching an important milestone in the way it cares for patients with asthma at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU). As part of World Asthma Day, earlier this week, the team were thrilled to share that they are now supporting more than 1,200 of their patients to receive biological treatments for their condition, ultimately improving their quality of life.

Biological therapies are an additional form of treatment for people with severe asthma, who despite having regular inhaler use, still find their asthma is hard to control. They work by targeting and blocking specific pathways of inflammation, with the aim of reducing the frequency of asthma attacks and the need for steroids.

Professor Tom Brown, consultant respiratory physician at PHU and lead of the Portsmouth Severe Asthma Network, said, “Biologics have transformed the lives of many of our patients with severe asthma across the Portsmouth Severe Asthma Network and it has been a huge team effort to reach this fantastic milestone. This has only been possible through support and investment from PHU alongside genuine dedication and hard work from every member of our multi-disciplinary team.”

The Portsmouth Severe Asthma Service provides care for patients with severe asthma across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Surrey and West Sussex, as part of a collaborative network, with a real focus on delivering holistic and patient-centred care.

One of the patients they have been caring for is Sandra Willsher, who started taking one of the injectable biological therapies a few years ago, after struggling to get her asthma under control. Sandra who was first diagnosed with asthma over 40 years ago, had found herself regularly admitted to hospital with complications from asthma before she became eligible for the biological treatment approach.

Sandra said, “This medication has really changed my life! There are no more frequent admissions, and I feel much more in-control and self-sufficient, but always with the knowledge the team are still there to support me. I’m so lucky to be under the care of this team, who also supported me to switch to powder inhalers which are better for the environment. It’s amazing to know there are so many patients like me benefiting from this team and their care.”

There are strict criteria around who is eligible for this form of treatment, but the team work hard with patients to try and establish the most appropriate care for their needs. If you have any questions about this treatment, please speak with the clinician supporting your care.