How to improve prescription of inhaled salbutamol by providing standardised feedback on administration

"The effectiveness of inhaled salbutamol in routine care depends particularly on prescribed dosage and applied inhalation technique. To achieve maximum effectiveness and to prevent drug-related problems, prescription and administration need to work in concert."

How to improve prescription of inhaled salbutamol by providing standardised feedback on administration: a controlled intervention pilot study with follow-up
MP Neininger et al.
BMC Health Services Research 2015, 15:40  doi:10.1186/s12913-015-0702-x

Read more here.

Advice from NICE on Medicines Optimisation of Key Therapies

NICE have released a number of evidence-based Key Therapeutic Topics to support medicines optimisation. Access them below:

• Antibiotic prescribing – especially broad spectrum antibiotics (KTT9)
• First-choice antidepressant use in adults with depression or generalised anxiety disorder (KTT8) 
• Low-dose antipsychotics in people with dementia (KTT7)
• Hypnotics (KTT6)
• High-dose inhaled corticosteroids in asthma (KTT5)
• Omega-3 fatty acid supplements (KTT4)
• Lipid-modifying drugs (KTT3)
• Renin-angiotensin system drugs (KTT2)
• Wound care products (KTT14)
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (KTT13)
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus (KTT12)
• Minocycline (KTT11)
• Three-day courses of antibiotics for uncomplicated urinary tract infection
• Laxatives (KTT1)

Report on inquiry into respiratory deaths

"Strategic and effective investment has the power to bring not only significant savings to the NHS, but improvements in patients’ quality of life and a significant reduction in deaths from respiratory disease."

Report on inquiry into respiratory deaths
APPG on Respiratory Health
June 2014

Read more here.

Designing and commissioning services for children and young people with asthma

"Delivering excellent child-centred services requires co-operation and partnership between clinicians, children’s professionals in health and education, strategic leaders in local services and children, young people and families."

Designing and commissioning services for children and young people with asthma: a good practice guide
Primary Care Commissioning
August 2013

Read more here.

Improving the quality and safety of home oxygen services

"During the improvement projects, teams were encouraged to focus on driving the quality and appropriateness of the supply of oxygen, and improve the efficiency of services."

Improving the quality and safety of home oxygen services: the case for spread
NHS Improvement - Lung
March 2013

Read more here.

NICE Quality Standard: asthma

"This quality standard covers the diagnosis and treatment of asthma in adults, young people and children aged 12 months and older."

QS25 Asthma
National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
February 2013

Read more here.

Designing and commissioning services for adults with asthma

"This good practice guide outlines the case for improving outcomes for people with asthma and what the elements of a good service look like."

Designing and commissioning services for adults with asthma: a good practice guide
Primary Care Commissioning
September 2012

Read more here.

An outcomes strategy for COPD and asthma

"The Outcomes Strategy for COPD and Asthma showed the Government’s commitment to improving services for people with respiratory disease, as well as providing high-quality care that is safe, effective and responsive to the needs of individuals in streamlined services delivered closer to home.
This NHS Companion Document is a key part of the suite of tools and resources planned to help support different parts of the system implement the Outcomes Strategy."

An outcomes strategy for COPD and asthma: NHS companion document
Department of Health
May 2012

Read the outcomes strategy here and the companion document here.

Improving adult asthma care

"The aim of the NHS Improvement - Lung asthma work stream is to test which interventions have the biggest impact on patient outcomes and experience."

Improving adult asthma care: emerging learning from the national improvement projects
NHS Improvement - Lung National Improvement Projects
March 2012

Read more here.