Asthma Resources

This article is a call to action for those involved with children and young people (CYP) who have (or might have) asthma. The evidence has been clear for some time that there is an identified peak in asthma attacks in mid-September, the ‘week 38’ phenomenon (Transformation partners in healthcare, 2022). However, what is often not discussed is that there is a time when we can perhaps pre-emptively act to avoid attack — and that time is now.

Winter is often seen to be the time to consider respiratory health. However, for patients who wheeze, entering autumn with healthy lungs is key to resilience to winter viruses and triggers. ‘Pre-emptive medicine’ is one of the key focuses in recent national
guidance (NHS England, 2021) and has been a pillar of best practice in both the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2021) and British Thoracic Society/Scottish Collegiate Guidelines Network (BTS/SIGN, 2019) guidance for some time. It is known that many asthma deaths are avoidable, and that there are many
so-called modifiable factors that can contribute to mortality in asthma (Royal College of Physicians [RCP], 2015).

The importance of an asthma review at least annually is clearly evidenced by guidelines and, importantly, was highlighted in the ‘National Review of Asthma Deaths’ report as an opportunity for assessment and education that could help prevent asthma deaths (Royal College of Physicians [RCP], 2014). Community nurses are in an ideal position to ensure that all patients with asthma have reviews. This article aims to clearly set out what these should include, give practical advice as to how to carry out an asthma UHYLHZDQGZK\WKHGLͿHUHQWHOHPHQWVRIDQDVWKPDUHYLHZ are important. 

Every 10 seconds someone in the UK has a potentially lifethreatening asthma attack and three people die every day from the condition. Tragically, evidence shows two-thirds of these deaths could be prevented by using some key elements of basic care. Also, many of these deaths occur in people with mild or moderate asthma, the kind that can be managed in primary care and with daily self-management.

Amira Obeid outlines the management of a seven year old girl who presented in general practice with a history of night cough, wheezing and a tight chest.

Jacinta Meighan-Davies and Helen Parnell discuss the rising incidence of allergic asthma in the UK and the challenges this poses for community nurses and patients.

Emma Fawcett is a practice nurse in a GP surgery with 103 people on the asthma register. The clients are invited (at least) annually for an asthma review. In the previous 12 months, only 43 of them have accepted this invitation and attended for review. This article will attempt to review and critically evaluate the available evidence and compare this to an individual practice area.
Emma Fawcett RGN, DipN., BSc (Hons) is a practice nurse in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire.
Article accepted for publication: January 2007