Research objectives

Many asthmatics have long periods when their asthma is non-symptomatic, or well controlled on regular medication. It is inefficient for both the NHS and the patient for them to be seen regularly in an asthma clinic. The aim of this research is to describe the use of an invitation questionnaire in two practices over twelve months and evaluate its ability to enable a nurse-run asthma clinic to target those patients most in need, whilst providing annual audit data on as many of the practice population as possible.

The previously piloted questionnaire will be posted in monthly batches to all asthmatic patients with an invitation to the clinic. Those patients with high morbidity who do not attend the clinics will be contacted again and the rate of take up of further care will be recorded. Attendees at the clinics will be asked a single structured question on the effect of the questionnaire on their attendance. A test-retest administration of the questionnaire will be carried out on twenty-five patients to assess its reliability. The morbidity of the attendees will be compared to the non-attendees using the questionnaire data, and a note search for non-responders. Twenty patients will be interviewed to explore their views on their asthma, and their views on the questionnaire.

Research team

Dr Charlotte Paterson (Lead Researcher)
General Practitioner, Warwick House Medical Centre, Taunton.
Dr Andrew Paisley
General Practitioner, Warwick House Medical Centre, Taunton.
Dr Nicky Britten
Senior Lecturer in Medical Sociology, Department of General Practice, UMDS Guy's and St. Thomas's Medical and Dental School, London.
Mrs Robin Ellwood
Practice Nurse, Warwick House Medical Centre, Taunton.

For further information contact

Dr Charlotte Paterson
Warwick House Medical Centre
Holway Green
Upper Holway Road
Taunton
Somerset, TA1 2YJ.

Return to Commissioned Research: Ongoing Projects