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In this article, updated for asthma in November 2019, we discuss the building blocks of a good asthma review focusing on:

Case Study 1 - Noel Baxter Locum GP and PCRS Policy Lead discusses the importance of system change in the practice particularly around the reviewing and re-authorising of repeat prescriptions for short acting beta-2-agonsts Case Study 2 - Frances Barrett, Independent respiratory specialist nurse reports on a project to tackle SABA overuse in a practice

The playing cards on these slides and downloadable PDF playing cards are a way to trigger conversations with healthcare teams, and between pharmacists and patients regarding the use of/reliance on SABA inhalers. We invite you to use them to start a discussion!

In this article for Primary Care Respiratory Academy, Noel Baxter describes the nine good care processes developed by a multidisciplinary and integrated respiratory team in Lambeth and Southwark with a novel way to disseminate the measures and show improvement. Download the asthma review MS Excel template described in the article. Download the asthma value pyramid.

Patients with respiratory symptoms and disease deserve a correct diagnosis and correct guideline driven care that is standardized, patient focused, delivered by a Health Care Professional (HCP) with suitable training and experience, at a site and within an appropriate timeframe to meet their needs. Sadly, patient groups such as the British Lung Foundation (BLF) and Asthma UK have recognised that too often this is not the case.

PCRS supports the UK National Screening Committee’s recommendation that people at high risk of lung cancer have screening and encourage the committee to ensure that the screening programme maximises opportunities for diagnosis of lung disease beyond lung cancer and to ensure ongoing provision of smoking cessation services.

In this article Carol Stonham outlines her plans as the new chair for PCRS including her ambitions around cleaner and kinder respiratory healthcare.

The least cost-effective inhaler device is the one that the patient cannot use. In deciding which device and drug formulation to prescribe healthcare professionals should first determine the patient’s ability to use the prescribed device correctly. Inhalation is the main route for the administration of drugs for conditions such as asthma and COPD. The advantage of administering drugs by inhaler is that the drugs are delivered directly to the site of action within the airways. The onset of action is rapid and systemic adverse effects are minimised.

Fran Robinson talks to a patient who has had asthma all her life, feels that annual asthma reviews are a waste of time (except when they are conducted by PCRS members). In this article she explains why and Ren Lawlor, Senior Lecturer,  Advanced Nurse Practitioner,  Department of Adult Nursing and Paramedic Science, University of Greenwich reflects on this patient’s experiences.