Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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263. To ask the Minister for Health if the national asthma programme will be included in the 2015 Health Service Executive service plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31761/14]

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 initial focus has been on the development of national asthma guidelines based on international best practice, early asthma diagnosis, active asthma treatment, guided self-management and patient education. This work is complete.

A number of other elements of the programme have also been implemented, including an asthma education programme and patient education materials.

The programme has also developed a national model of care for asthma, which details how physicians, nurses and other health 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.

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. 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.