A new campaign is set to launch across Cheshire and Merseyside this autumn to help children and young people better manage their asthma.
‘Too Much Blue – Get a Review’, developed by Beyond, the Cheshire and Merseyside children and young people’s transformation programme, will run throughout autumn 2025 and aims to encourage better self-management of asthma through a mix of education, practical tools, and community engagement.
For children and young people (aged 0-19) across Cheshire and Merseyside, there has been almost a 16% increase over the last two years in asthma attendances to A&E and there has been a nearly 2% increase in the number of A&E reattendances due to asthma.
Asthma is also one of the leading causes of emergency hospital admissions in children, with preventable flare-ups accounting for hundreds of A&E visits locally each year.
Children living in the most deprived communities are more than twice as likely to be admitted to hospital for asthma compared to those in the least deprived areas, highlighting a significant health inequality the campaign aims to address.
The campaign will officially launch on 8 September to coincide with ‘Ask About Asthma Week’ and aligns with a key NHS asthma priority to reduce over-reliance on ‘blue inhalers’ (short-acting beta agonists – SABA) and improve asthma care for children and young people.
The launch event will take place at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in the main atrium at 10:00 am, where children, young people, and their families can meet clinical leads, view the campaign animation, and collect “Too Much Blue – Get a Review” wristbands.
The animation at the heart of the campaign was co-produced with a group of young people and parents and carers, recruited through Alder Hey Youth Forum and wider social media networks. Their ideas, voices, and experiences have helped to shape the animation, showing how self-management can make a real difference to living well with asthma.
This launch will mark the start of a Cheshire and Merseyside Roadshow, visiting primary and secondary care sites, family hubs, libraries, and Asthma Friendly Schools. To raise further awareness, landmark buildings across the region — beginning with Runcorn Bridge on 8 September — will be lit up in blue.
As children grow and spend more time at school or in activities away from home, parents and carers are not always nearby to monitor symptoms. By helping children understand their own asthma triggers, use their inhalers correctly, and take charge of their care, the campaign aims to empower them to live well with the condition and seek help early if concerns arise.
“Too Much Blue – Get a Review is a fantastic campaign that puts prevention front and centre and is a great example of how we can empower young people and their families to manage asthma. By helping families recognise when asthma is not under control, we can reduce avoidable hospital visits and give children the chance to live healthier, more active lives across Cheshire and Merseyside.”
Professor Ian Ashworth, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’s Director of Population Health
Dr Elizabeth Crabtree, Programme Director, Beyond Children and Young People Transformation Programme, said: “Managing asthma can feel overwhelming for families, but small changes make a big difference. Too Much Blue – Get a Review is about giving children and young people the confidence, knowledge, and tools to manage their asthma wherever they are.
“By working closely with families, schools, and health professionals, we can reduce preventable flare-ups and help to ensure people know when to seek help and how best to keep asthma under control.”
Terri Quigley, Project Manager for the Respiratory and Asthma workstream for Beyond and parent of a child with severe asthma told us: “When my son Ethan was born prematurely, he struggled with his lungs from the start. By the time he was eight, he had severe asthma and relied heavily on his blue inhaler, missing out on school, sports and playing with his friends.
“Today, with the right preventative treatment, his asthma is fully controlled — he’s even achieved a black belt in martial arts, something that once seemed impossible. That’s why this campaign matters so much.
“Too many families don’t realise that frequent use of a blue inhaler is a warning sign that asthma may not be under control, and that a review with a healthcare professional could make all the difference.”
For more information on the ‘Too Much Blue – Get a Review’ campaign and the upcoming roadshow events visit: www.cheshireandmerseyside.nhs.uk/TooMuchBlue
To view the ‘Too Much Blue – Get a Review’ video animation, click here