To ask the Minister of Health (i) for his assessment of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on asthma care; and (ii) how he will ensure that full asthma services are resumed as soon as possible.

Asthma care services are provided in both primary and secondary care settings.

In primary care, the general practice telephone first consultations has allowed patients to seek timely medical advice from their GP for both routine and urgent problems. The GP determines the most appropriate approach to safely addressing the patient’s needs, including patients experiencing asthma exacerbations, using their clinical expertise. Practices have also continued to assess patients who present with possible new asthma diagnosis.

In secondary care, clinicians have also sought to ensure that patient care can be addressed through a mixed approach which has included face to face and telephone consultations. Whilst there has been significant pressure on respiratory services as a whole, including periods where it has been necessary to pause face to face appointments, innovative strategies have also been utilised to try to maintain patient care and to assess new patients. For example, a homecare facility was set up in the Belfast Trust so that patients could administer biologics at home with remotely monitoring in place and in the South Eastern Trust virtual review appointments and early discharge work was undertaken through the Respiratory Hubs.

Work continues both within primary and secondary care settings to ensure that those requiring assessment and treatment for asthma can be appropriately managed, treated and supported in a timely manner.