The number of finished consultant episodes (FCE) for England and Yorkshire and the Humber, where the primary diagnosis was asthma, are given for the year 2005-06 in the following table.
Number FCE in England 66,055 FCE in North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire Strategic Health Authority 1,839 Note: Finished consultant episodes are not headcounts, a patient may have more than one FCE within the year.
The new general medical services contract was launched in February 2003. The contract includes a specific “quality indicator” for treatment and care of people with asthma; based on:
a register of patients diagnosed with, and prescribed drugs for, asthma,
a record of patients aged eight years and over where diagnosis confirmed by spirometry or peak flow measurement; and
a record of asthma review within past 15 months.
It is the responsibility of local health bodies to ensure that patients living with asthma are offered care plans and regular reviews.
I have received representations from Asthma UK, and from individuals, seeking to remove prescription charges for those with asthma, to involve those living with this condition in the design of local services, and to make asthma specialists available locally.
We are currently undertaking a review of prescription charges and will be reporting the outcome before the summer recess. It is the responsibility of local health bodies to organise local services, and ensure the correct skill mix of health professionals, to meet the needs of those living with asthma.