Averil Power (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. The national asthma programme was developed in 2010, modelled on a successful pilot project carried out by the Asthma Society of Ireland. The aim of the programme is to bring about a reduction in asthma deaths by 90% over ten years and a 10% reduction in hospital admissions, out of hours and emergency department visits over three years. This programme has already been a successful pilot.

It is now three years since the inception of the programme, but it has not been officially signed off and patients are not enrolled to take the programme forward. As a result of the commitment not being given to this initiative, emergency admissions for asthma patients increased in 2012 by 20% from the previous year. This is unfortunate, because asthma is an extremely manageable condition. There is no reason somebody whose asthma is being managed properly and who is on proper medication should find himself or herself being brought to hospital or suffering from an acute attack. We have the medicine to prevent this and we have the procedures by which asthma can be managed, but unfortunately patients are not engaged in proper asthma management programmes like those that are standard practice in other countries.

I have tabled this matter today so as to urge the Minister of State to ensure that in next year's budget, priority is given to the roll-out of the asthma management programme put forward by the Asthma Society of Ireland. I urge him to ensure that the necessary staff are provided and that the 17 clinical nurse specialists required for the roll-out of the programme are recruited. The programme must also be included in the HSE's service plan. The Asthma Society of Ireland also raised the issue of the new GP contract. GPs are an essential point of access to the health service and they are the people those with medical conditions see most frequently. It is essential to ensure that all GPs are properly trained in this regard and that they give priority to helping people manage their asthma. As the Minister of State is aware, approximately 470,000 people in Ireland have asthma - one out of every ten adults and one out of every five children. People with asthma make up the largest chronic disease group in the country. The majority of those affected are under 14 and their quality of life is badly affected by the condition.

Other issues that must be examined include education on the condition. The Asthma Society of Ireland provided me with some excellent materials it has developed for schools. We need to ensure the education system and teachers are given greater training on managing this, particularly PE teachers. Many young people only develop asthma in their teens and the PE teacher could well be the first person with them when they have an exercise induced attack. There is a need for action across the board on this issue. Resources are also needed and if these are put into the right area and into prevention and management of asthma, this would save the health service significant moneys over time.

As matters stand, people unnecessarily find themselves on nebulisers, etc., in emergency departments. This would be avoidable if resources were put into the primary care area. Other European countries, such as the UK and Finland, have shown how this can be done. They have advanced the primary care model and patient self-management, through having GPs train patients in how to manage their condition and to manage it with a peak flow meter and to respond when they realise they are in trouble. In Finland, a similar programme to that proposed by the Asthma Society of Ireland resulted in a 90% reduction in deaths, an 85% reduction in hospital admissions and a 50% reduction in the cost of treating each patient.

I tabled this matter to highlight this issue for the Minister of State. I acknowledge we are heading into the budget process and that there are many priorities for next year in the Department of Health. However, I stress that smart investment in this area can save significant money and can also save lives.