A respiratory digital therapeutics toolkit is improving outcomes and reducing heath inequalities for people with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Wales
The toolkit, which has reached full adoption across 100 per cent of GP practices and hospitals in NHS Wales, is providing a personalised, digital care plan that empowers hundreds of thousands of people to take control of their condition and stay well in the community.
Improvements
Professor Simon Barry, national respiratory clinical lead at NHS Wales (2016-2024), explains the impact the toolkit is having at a national scale: “Overall, we’re seeing patients showing a significant improvement in wellness scores in as little as three months. The biggest improvement is among patients using the asthma app for four months or more who are seeing their wellness score increase by 41 per cent. Users in socioeconomically deprived areas, and young people are seeing the greatest improvements in their Royal College of Physicians (RCP) 3-questions score.”
In addition, the toolkit has driven significant reductions in the use of reliever inhalers, an important marker of disease control.
Asthma app users have a statistically significant improvement in their reliever inhaler usage, with 35 per cent having improved reliever use within one year, and 20 per cent of patients going from some reliever use to no reliever use.
COPD app users’ reliever use improved after one year, with the percentage of users making use of relievers decreasing substantially from 67 per cent to 38 per cent.
Patients using the app are 42 per cent more likely to be using Dry Powder Inhalers (DPIs) than the general population, accelerating the NHS Wales priority to increase the proportion of low global-warming potential inhalers (DPIs).
Improvements are particularly pronounced in socioeconomically deprived areas.
The successful rollout has enabled many more outcome improvements, including reductions in GP visits and A&E admissions to alleviate pressure on overstretched services.
Savings
Chris Davies, principal and CEO at The Institute of Clinical Science and Technology, said: “Unfortunately, chronic diseases are common and expensive. Right now, £7 in every £10 of UK health and social expenditure goes toward chronic disease management, so it’s time for a new approach. We are delighted to work alongside NHS Wales in transitioning from traditional healthcare delivery to a patient-driven, digital-first model that eases the pressure on the healthcare system and future-proofs the NHS. This approach enables individuals across large populations to have better agency, better empowerment and more confidence when they navigate their health.”
Co-produced with patients, policymakers and clinical experts from within stakeholder groups, including the National Respiratory Audit Programme (NRAP), Asthma and Lung UK (ALUK), NHS Wales and NHS England, the toolkit uses the proven COM-B (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behaviour) model to drive behaviour change. The app provides tailored support, including a personalised care plan and progress tracking, to help individuals manage their health.
The toolkit is expanding to other disease groups, offering a scalable model to meet rising care demand without overburdening healthcare professionals.
