A Wrexham project aimed at improving the health of children who suffer from asthma and their families has been recognised at a national awards ceremony.
The CHARISMA project received the ‘Best healthy living initiative’ award at the APSE Annual Service Awards 2009, which were held at the Cardiff International Arena and hosted by Sky news and ITV Wales broadcaster Mai Davies.
The project was initiated by Wrexham County Borough Council (WCBC) and the Local Public Health Team in Wrexham, and co-ordinated and implemented in partnership by staff from the Local Authority, National Public Health Service for Wales (NPHS), the NHS Trust and Academia.
CHARISMA is an innovative, collaborative project that aims to improve children’s asthma symptoms and their overall well-being by improving their housing conditions. The different organisations worked together on a research project to inform the health and housing evidence base, as well as looking at more effective and different ways of delivering local authority services to improve health and well-being and complements existing health care service delivery.
The project involved carrying out various works in the homes of children who suffered from asthma. These included tailored housing improvements designed to reduce mould, and to improve temperatures and air quality inside the house. This was found to have a dramatic effect on the health of the children, with significant improvements in their asthmatic health. The works were also found to have improved the health and well being of family and siblings who lived in the same house.
The CHARISMA project came about following the Health, Social Care and Well Being Strategies in 2005 and 2008, which identified respiratory health as a key public health priority in Wrexham. Asthma in children is of particular concern and is one of the most common chronic childhood medical conditions.
The target group for CHARISMA was aimed at children who suffered from moderate or severe asthma in Wrexham and were aged between 5 and 15 (approximately 445 children at the start of the project).
Andy Lewis, Chief Housing and Public Protection Officer said:
“This is an excellent example of how, by working in partnership with other local organisations, we can improve the quality of life of asthma sufferers and their families. Indoor environmental factors can have a significant effect on respiratory illness and childhood asthma. 197 households participated and received tailored housing improvements free of charge, which evidence showed had a positive effect on families health and well being.
“CHARISMA is an innovative and worthy project and I am delighted it has been recognised at the APSE Annual Service Awards.”
