More than half of the GP surgeries in the UK are being given a tool that enables them to manage their asthma more effectively.
Asthma UK worked with EMIS, the UK leader in clinical IT systems for GPs and commissioners to develop the new tool, a personalised electronic Asthma UK action plan.
The plan can be printed out in the practice and given, or emailed, to the patient and an electronic version saved on the patient’s notes.
Kay Boycott, Chief Executive of Asthma UK, said: “Nobody with asthma should leave their GP surgery without an asthma action plan.
“Research shows you’re four times more likely to end up in hospital without one – yet shockingly, only 22% of people with asthma have an action plan.
“This new system will change that by ensuring that GPs and nurses can generate one directly through the EMIS system itself – and it can’t come soon enough. This is a no cost, practical solution to save time in appointments as well as proving better care for people with asthma.
“Using an Asthma UK action plan as part of an asthma review gives patients the critical information they need to manage their condition effectively. In the UK today, every ten seconds someone has a potentially life threatening asthma attack and still three people die every day.
“Tragically, the majority of these could be prevented with the right basic care. Our ultimate aim is to make the NHS asthma review the most effective in the world at preventing potentially life threatening asthma attacks.”
Asthma UK hopes to work with other software providers to make the tool available to all GPs and practice nurses across the UK.
