Ards Federation have just completed an Asthma Project with 14 practices in their local area. They recognised that improvements could be made in their management of asthma and decided to identify “at risk” patients in line with the National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD) audit. The project was led by Dr Hiscocks and Kerry Finlay (PBP federation lead) and undertaken in collaboration with Screen Clinical Ltd and Napp Pharmaceuticals, to help identify patients and develop the appropriate individual action plans. The aim being ‘to create Federation-wide sustainable improvements in asthma management’.
Findings from the project:
- Of the 4,336 patients on the asthma registers, 1,474 were identified as ‘High Risk’ (34%).
- 17% of patients had received >12 SABA inhalers in previous 12 months, with 20 patients identified who had received >40 in the last year.
- 504 (11%) patients had received less than 4 prescriptions for ICS in the last year.
- The results highlight that there is still overuse of SABAs and underuse of inhaled corticosteroids in a considerable number of asthmatic patients. It is hoped this work and subsequent interventions will improve asthma control and educate patients on how to manage their asthma more appropriately.
