We are experiencing a lot of concerns from patients with asthma and requests for inhalers and steroid tablets. As with all medications, we as clinicians must ensure responsible prescribing at a time when supply chains are likely to disrupted and workload pressures increased.
We are advising that anyone who has asthma follow Asthma UK advice. Rescue packs can be issued if they are part of your normal asthma treatment plan.
If you have a historical diagnosis of asthma but have not needed to use inhalers or needed a course of oral steroids in the past 2 years, please do not request them. This will reduce the workload burden on the doctors and ensure that we have adequate supply for people who will need them.
It is also important that we are able to clinically assess, either remotely or in person, anyone with worsening respiratory symptoms to determine what treatment is appropriate on them rather than remotely issuing medications that may not be of benefit.
Thank you for your understanding and co-operation in these difficult times.
