Everyone with asthma in England should receive a structured review on, at the very least, an annual basis, according to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE).
More than five million people are being treated for asthma in the UK – just over 1 million of them children – making asthma the most common long-term medical condition. Around 1,000 people die each year from asthma, with the bulk of the deaths being linked to preventable factors.
The NICE quality standard focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of asthma in children aged 12 months and older, young people and adults.
It consists of 11 measurable statements that are intended to help clinicians improve the effectiveness, quality, safety and experience of care for people with asthma.
The Association for Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care, which has been working closely with Asthma UK and other agencies to raise the profile of respiratory physiotherapy, welcomed the guidance.
Kris Bahadur, the association’s chronic disease champion, said: ‘The standard puts quality and the patient's experience of care at the centre, which will reinforce best practice and improve the patient pathway.
‘Physiotherapists have a key role in the management of patients with asthma and are a key professional in many specialist teams. Of particular note is the focus on asthma action plans, self-management strategies, health promotion and lifestyle advice.
‘Physiotherapists are well placed to take a lead role on these topics, in addition to specialist assessment, identification and the treatment of breathing dysfunction.’
More than five million people are being treated for asthma in the UK – just over 1 million of them children – making asthma the most common long-term medical condition. Around 1,000 people die each year from asthma, with the bulk of the deaths being linked to preventable factors.
The NICE quality standard focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of asthma in children aged 12 months and older, young people and adults.
It consists of 11 measurable statements that are intended to help clinicians improve the effectiveness, quality, safety and experience of care for people with asthma.
The Association for Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory Care, which has been working closely with Asthma UK and other agencies to raise the profile of respiratory physiotherapy, welcomed the guidance.
Kris Bahadur, the association’s chronic disease champion, said: ‘The standard puts quality and the patient's experience of care at the centre, which will reinforce best practice and improve the patient pathway.
‘Physiotherapists have a key role in the management of patients with asthma and are a key professional in many specialist teams. Of particular note is the focus on asthma action plans, self-management strategies, health promotion and lifestyle advice.
‘Physiotherapists are well placed to take a lead role on these topics, in addition to specialist assessment, identification and the treatment of breathing dysfunction.’
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