This briefing was prepared initially for the benefit of our members, who are healthcare professionals working primarily in primary and community care with an interest in respiratory disease.

NICE has today published a single new guideline on the diagnosis and monitoring of asthma, and management of chronic asthma. 

The British Thoracic Society (BTS) has published its 2017 Adult Asthma Audit which focuses on hospital admissions of people with acute asthma. The audit examined data available for 4258 patients admitted to 171 hospitals.

The BTS/SIGN British asthma guideline is due to be reviewed over the next two years, and they are looking for some new healthcare professionals to contribute to the review process.

People living with respiratory disease require a significant amount of support, guidance and intervention to manage their condition effectively. These interventions need to be delivered by clinicians with an appropriate level of expertise in this field.

Missed opportunities contributed to child’s death from asthma

This centre-fold pull-out chart from the Spring 2017 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update provides useful, succinct advice for healthcare professionals on appropriate tools to support respiratory diagnosis in primary care.

In this feature Getting the Basics Right article from the Spring 2017 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update, Dr Duncan Keeley discusses the role of microspirometry and peak flow to support the diagnosis of respiratory conditions in primary care.

The International Primary Care Respiratory Group (IPCRG) with ‘asthmaxchange’ have developed learning modules that include some real-life histories to work through in the diagnosis, management and ongoing

Achieving an accurate diagnosis may take time and involves working with patients to help support their understanding about why there isn't always a quick answer or an immediate prescription.

In this feature article produced in the Spring 2016 issue of Primary Care Respiratory Update Noel Baxter explores how to help stratify people with asthma providing links to XML files you can access and use in your practice

Nearly one in five children in the UK is living in poverty and this deprivation increases the number of hospital admissions for asthma which have continued to rise over the last decade.

Based on the press release issued by NICE, it appears that much of the content of the draft guideline reinforces and is consistent with the BTS/SIGN guideline on asthma management which was  updated in September 2016 (see

A primary care perspective of the changes to the 2016 BTS/SIGN British Asthma Guideline together with details of the summary of diagnostic tests from the guideline 

The report says first line rescue care and treatment for children suffering from acute wheezing and asthma is generally working extremely well in hospitals.  Overall, children are receiving the right treatments, and admission to paediatric intensive care is only needed in a very small propor