NSW Central West Division of General Practice

Asthma - a national Health Priority

Asthma Facts

• 2.2 million Australians have asthma

• In 2007, asthma caused the deaths of 385 Australians – 17 fewer than the previous year.

  For more information on Asthma Facts go to the NAC Website

Resources for General Practice

The Asthma Management Handbook is published by the National Asthma Council. While written primarily for general practitioners and community pharmacists, the Handbook emphasises a team approach to asthma care. It contains:

 Written asthma action plan templates can by downloaded from the NAC website or use the template on computer software.

Information papers and patient education fact sheets can be found at the NAC website

Useful websites

• National Asthma Council
• Asthma Foundation
• Asthma Friendly Schools
• Department of Health and Ageing
• Australian system for monitoring asthma

Asthma Cycle of Care

• fully assess the level of asthma (guidelines in Asthma Management Handbook)
• develop a written asthma action plan
• provide information and education on managing asthma
• review how well the asthma medications are working

The Cycle of Care is designed for people with moderate to severe asthma or those with poorly controlled asthma. This includes people with wheeze of cough most days of the week, frequent attacks, use reliever medications more than 3 times each week, use a preventer medication or those who have been admitted to hospital or attended the ED.

There are specific Medicare Item numbers for asthma cycle of care, please go to website for more information.

Ambulances for asthma

Conducting Nurse Led Asthma Clinics 

This document was compiled by the CWDGP to aid practice nurses in the setting up of and conducting an asthma clinic. Our new resource the 'How to set up an asthma clinic' is now available.

Models of Chronic Disease Management in Primary Care for patients with mild to moderate asthma or COPD is a review undertaken with the recognition that much of the prevention, diagnosis, intervention and management of chronic lung disease in the community
occurs in primary care. This is where the best current opportunity would appear to exist, to modify the natural
history of the disease process before serious ill health and disability become established – in asthma and in COPD where smoking persists despite primary prevention through tobacco control.

for more information go to the website ANU

Respiratory courses