Asthma UK’s website provides an asthma action plan template. This can be completed for each patient’s individual asthma needs and covers what the patient should do as well as supporting medicine adherence for:12,13

·      everyday asthma care

·      when the patient starts feeling worse

·      during an asthma attack.

In addition to recording the prescribed medication and dosing, the form also encourages the patient to check their peak flow and provides advice on what to do if asthma symptoms appear or worsen.

It reminds patients that they should have at least one routine asthma review every year when the asthma action plan can be reviewed and updated if necessary. The review should also be used as an opportunity to check inhaler (and spacer) technique.

Using an inhaler correctly is associated with improved asthma outcomes and a reduced risk of exacerbations and hospital admission. This is emphasised in the asthma care bundle developed by the British Thoracic Society, which says: “Repeated instruction is required to ensure that inhaler technique is optimised. Every opportunity must be taken to promote good inhaler technique in order to ensure adequate delivery of therapy.”14