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National Asthma Programme

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 19 February 2014

Wednesday, 19 February 2014

Questions (228)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

228. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health the progress made to date on the national asthma programme; if he will set out his plans and timelines for its full implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8540/14]

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Written answers

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, at hospital emergency departments and in-patient admission services.

The initial focus of the work of the NCPA has been primarily on:

- The development and implementation of national asthma guidelines based on international best practice for acute and ongoing asthma management and national asthma education initiatives for patients and health care professionals; and

- The organisation and better integration of national asthma services at primary and secondary care levels through the development of a national model of care.

The acute adult and paediatric asthma guidelines and associated care pathways, treatment protocols and care bundles have now been developed for use in primary and secondary care settings. The Adult and Paediatric Emergency Asthma Guidelines are both available on the HSE website at http://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/clinical/natclinprog/asthmaprogramme/.

The NCPA has also worked with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) in the development of "Asthma Control in General Practice", which is a guideline for managing a patient with asthma in primary care. This document is available on the ICGP website at http://www.icgp.ie/go/library/catalogue/item?spId=05FBC657-258C-42B5-B4F111ACAAE823E2.

Up to date information is available for patients and their families and carers. Easily accessible patient asthma education supports have been implemented, in conjunction with the NCPA's key stakeholder, the Asthma Society of Ireland (ASI), to assist guided self management for this chronic condition. These are available on both the HSE and ASI websites.

A self-learning asthma E-Learning 6 modular theoretical programme, based on the national evidence based guidelines and developed by the NCPA in conjunction with the ASI, is also freely available on both the HSE and ASI websites for any health care professionals who wish to update their knowledge. This will enable health care professionals to underpin their skill sets with theory. There is also a similar programme available for GPs on the ICGP website.

In addition, a practical workshop is being delivered by the respiratory Clinical Nurse Specialists for staff in primary and secondary care. This education programme will continue throughout 2014.

The NCPA has developed a National Model of Care (MOC) for Asthma, which details how physicians, nurses and other health care professionals will work with engaged patients to make the clinical decisions most appropriate to the patient's circumstances, while collaborating with specialist colleagues in providing a safe, seamless patient experience within the health system in Ireland. The Model of Care is currently at final stages of approval.

Implementation of the National Clinical Programme for Asthma is ongoing and will continue in 2014.

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