South West asthma sufferers not getting vital annual reviews

People in the South West with asthma are missing out on important annual reviews which check their medication and if they are using inhalers correctly.

Asthma UK found during analysis of GP data from the 2012/13 Quality and Outcomes Framework Achievement, that essential checks carried out during annual reviews are not being done.

The charity is concerned about the data, in light of statistics which show 47 per cent of asthma deaths resulted from prescribing errors, according to a UK wide review into deaths caused by asthma.

The number of people attending vital asthma annual reviews fluctuates according to region.

In the South of England, just 67.9 per cent of patients had an annual review, compared to NHS North East Lincolnshire CCG, which had 78 per cent.

Deputy Chief Executive of Asthma UK,  Dr Samantha Walker says: “The fact that a third of people in the South of England with asthma are not getting their medicines checked at their annual review is no doubt contributing to the rising NHS spend on asthma and putting people’s lives at risk. With the worrying scale of prescribing errors identified by the National Review of Asthma Deaths, it’s vital that doctors and nurses do everything they can to follow up with patients to review their medicines, especially as asthma can vary hugely over the year. We’re keen to understand where further improvements can be made to asthma care in the South of England so urge people with asthma to complete our survey www.asthma.org.uk/compareyourcare to find out how their care