Alex White (Dublin South, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The national asthma programme, which commenced in 2011, is one of a number of chronic disease programmes established in the HSE's clinical care directorate 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 and to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life for all patients with asthma. A key component is improved management of people with asthma in primary care, thereby avoiding emergency attendance at general practitioner, GP, out-of-hours services, hospital emergency departments and inpatient admission services.

The initial focus of the work of the programme has been primarily on the development and implementation of national asthma guidelines based on international best practice for acute and ongoing asthma management and national asthma education initiatives for patients and health care professionals; and the organisation and better integration of national asthma services at primary and secondary care levels through the development of a national model of care. Acute adult and paediatric asthma guidelines and associated care pathways, treatment protocols and care bundles have been developed for use in primary and secondary care settings. The acute adult asthma guidelines, which are available online at www.hse.ie, are being revised.

The programme is working on developing a national model of care for asthma. The proposed implementation plan will detail how physicians, nurses and other health care professionals will work with engaged patients to make the clinical decisions most appropriate to the patients' circumstances while collaborating with specialist colleagues in providing a safe, seamless patient experience within the health system. This is a key deliverable of the national asthma programme for 2013.

As 85% of asthma is managed in primary care without the requirement for hospital specialist services, the programme is undertaking work to consider providing a yearly programme of assessment for asthma in primary care called Chronic Disease Watch - Asthma, also referred to as Asthma Check. The development of Asthma Check is being done in conjunction with the Irish College of General Practitioners, ICGP.

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Asthma Check outlines the step-by-step process for implementation of guideline-based asthma management in primary care to deliver optimal outcomes for patients, the aim being to facilitate the implementation of best practice asthma guidelines in primary care in order to improve asthma control. This will reduce acute exacerbations and, thus, their associated overall costs, with fewer hospital bed days and less time off school or work for patients. It will also ensure that patients with asthma maximise their quality of life. I am satisfied that good progress can be made in the ongoing development of the programme.

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