Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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518. To ask the Minister for Health If he will implement the next phase of the national asthma programme in 2014 which will result in a reduction in both deaths and hospital admissions due to asthma and result in savings to the State; if he will take into consideration the changes the programme will make in the lives of the 470,000 persons with asthma; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39318/13]

Alex White (Dublin South, Labour)
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The National Clinical Programme for Asthma, 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. Current estimates suggest that there are approximately 450,000 people with doctor-diagnosed asthma in Ireland.

The initial focus of the work of the Programme has been primarily on three main areas:

- The development and implementation of national asthma guidelines based on international best practice for acute and ongoing asthma management and in relation to this, national asthma education initiatives for patients and health care professionals;

- The organisation and better integration of national asthma services at primary and secondary care levels through development of a national model of care; and

- A national project of auditing acute asthma deaths.

Work in relation to Asthma Guidelines has included:

1. Acute adult asthma guidelines and associated care pathways, treatment protocols and care bundles have been developed for use in all care settings (primary and secondary care levels), in conjunction with other relevant programmes and the Irish College of General Practice (ICGP). These include:

- An in-hospital practical asthma education programme for nurses to underpin and support the implementation of the acute adult guidelines; and

- General management asthma guidelines for use in all healthcare settings especially in primary care.

The Acute Adult Emergency Guidelines are available through the HSE website. This user friendly resource will facilitate all healthcare staff in optimising the management of adult patients attending services with an acute asthmatic episode.

2. Guidelines for acute paediatric asthma have also been completed and should be available soon on the HSE website. An associated educational programme is being developed at present.

The National Asthma Programme is developing a National Model of Care (MOC) for Asthma with an implementation plan which will detail how physicians, nurses, and other health care professionals will work with engaged patients to make the clinical decisions most appropriate to their circumstances; and to collaborate with specialist colleagues in providing a safe, seamless patient experience within the health system in Ireland. This is a key deliverable of the National Asthma Programme for 2013. As 85 per cent of asthma is managed in primary care without the need for hospital specialist services, the Programme is aiming to provide at primary care level a yearly programme of assessment for asthma called Chronic Disease Watch (CDW) - Asthma, also known as Asthma Check.Asthma Check, which has been submitted to the ICGP for review, outlines the step-by-step process for the implementation of guideline based asthma management in primary care to deliver optimal outcomes for patients.

The Model of Care will also focus on:

- Improving access to hospital based specialist asthma services from primary and secondary care services, through Scheduled / Rapid access asthma services (adult/paediatric), and access to specialist asthma therapies.

- Improving links through Clinical / Asthma Nurse Specialists within the community services.

- Developing and implementing a standard referral pathway to asthma services.

- Developing structured assessment and review protocols throughout the system.

- Establishing uniform discharge protocols.

- Facilitating access to accurate asthma diagnostics.

- Examining solutions to develop and subsequently implement an Asthma database / register linked into all care levels (GP, Community Pharmacist and Hospital).

The draft model of care has been circulated for stakeholder consultation. The National Asthma Programme is aiming to have the Model of Care published by the end of this year.

Implementation of the National Clinical Programme for Asthma, which was included in the HSE's 2013 Operational Plan is ongoing and will continue in 2014.