Blog

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment his Department has made of the conclusions and recommendations of the report of the National Review of Asthma Deaths, published on 6 May 2014.

Jane Ellison

We welcome the report of the UK National Review of Asthma Deaths (NRAD) which provides a wealth of information about the causes of mortality from asthma.

While deaths rates from asthma have fallen steadily over the past three decades, and the number of deaths are small compared with those from cancer and heart disease, we are concerned about the proportion of deaths in children and young people that, in theory, could be preventable.

Patients (including children and young people) should be reviewed regularly and have personal action plans in place. They and their families or carers should know the right medications to use at the right times and how to use them, and to understand the importance of monitoring their condition and how to do this. NHS England has a programme of work in place through a "house of care" model to help ensure that patients with long term conditions such as asthma, can largely self-manage their condition with appropriate support from healthcare professionals.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to improve the quality of care given by GPs to people with asthma.

Jane Ellison

Information on the number of asthma patients with a care plan is not collected. However, the Government’s mandate to NHS England says that by 2015, everyone with a long term condition should be offered a personalised care plan.

NHS England is supporting clinical commissioning groups to improve out of hospital treatment for those with asthma by giving doctors more control over the commissioning of asthma services and improving information links between general practitioners and hospitals. The implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence asthma quality standard, that sets out what good quality care looks like, will also raise the standard of care people with asthma receive.

NHS England, through its National Clinical Director for Respiratory Disease, will continue to work with Asthma UK and professional groups in both primary and secondary care to improve outcomes for all those with asthma.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he is taking to ensure that patients discharged from hospital following a severe asthma attack receive appropriate care and support in the community; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Ellison

Information on the number of asthma patients with a care plan is not collected. However, the Government’s mandate to NHS England says that by 2015, everyone with a long term condition should be offered a personalised care plan.

NHS England is supporting clinical commissioning groups to improve out of hospital treatment for those with asthma by giving doctors more control over the commissioning of asthma services and improving information links between general practitioners and hospitals. The implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence asthma quality standard, that sets out what good quality care looks like, will also raise the standard of care people with asthma receive.

NHS England, through its National Clinical Director for Respiratory Disease, will continue to work with Asthma UK and professional groups in both primary and secondary care to improve outcomes for all those with asthma.

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Helen Jones on 2014-06-04.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate he has made of the number of patients with asthma who have received an asthma care plan; and when he expects all patients with asthma to have received such a plan.

Jane Ellison

Information on the number of asthma patients with a care plan is not collected. However, the Government’s mandate to NHS England says that by 2015, everyone with a long term condition should be offered a personalised care plan.

NHS England is supporting clinical commissioning groups to improve out of hospital treatment for those with asthma by giving doctors more control over the commissioning of asthma services and improving information links between general practitioners and hospitals. The implementation of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence asthma quality standard, that sets out what good quality care looks like, will also raise the standard of care people with asthma receive.

NHS England, through its National Clinical Director for Respiratory Disease, will continue to work with Asthma UK and professional groups in both primary and secondary care to improve outcomes for all those with asthma.