Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Independent)
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662. To ask the Minister for Health if her attention has been drawn to the rate of asthma deaths over the past 10 years and that this rate could be significantly reduced if a Government commitment to the implementation of a National Clinical Programme for asthma is met; and the actions she will take to ensure that this programme is implemented in the coming months or to otherwise meet the Government target of reducing asthma deaths by 90%. [32174/14]

Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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The HSE, through its Clinical Strategy and Programmes Division, established the National Clinic Programme for Asthma (NCPA), which is one of a number of chronic disease programmes aimed at bringing a systematic approach to changes in how services for patients are delivered.

The overarching aim of the Programme is to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with asthma in Ireland and to improve clinical outcomes and the quality of life of all patients with asthma. A key component is the improved management of people with asthma in primary care, thereby avoiding emergency attendance at General Practitioner (GP) out-of-hours services, emergency departments and in-patient services. Implementation of the programme is ongoing and will continue in 2015.

The National Model of Care for Asthma in general practice has been agreed by the HSE's Clinical Programmes, the Asthma Society and the ICGP. As the Deputy will be aware, implementation of this model in general practice involves consultation on the GP contract with representative bodies.

A Framework Agreement with the Irish Medical Organisation (IMO) has recently been signed, which allows progress on these issues, initially in the context of the provision of GP care free at the point of access for children under 6 years. It has been agreed that the discussions with the IMO which are now underway should also work towards agreement on a new GMS GP contractual framework.