Asthma

Program Overview and Rationale

Central Coast Respiratory Watch (formerly Asthma Watch) is a collaborative project with staff from Northern Sydney Central Coast Area Health (NSCCH), the Division of General Practice and a GP consultant as members of the committee:

Linda Birch	Paediatric Asthma Educator (NSCCH)
Dr Ian Charlton	GP consultant
Naomi Fenton	Community Outreach Asthma Educator (NSCCH)
Carmel Jenkins	Respiratory Liaison Nurse (NSCCH)
Ken Langbridge	Adult Asthma Educator (NSCCH)
Dr Peter Lewis	Area Director Public Health Unit (NSCCH)
Jennie Sadler	Integration Manager

Respiratory Watch provides:

a forum in which representatives from all relevant parties can discuss issues encountered by general practice around clinical aspects of management of the chronic respiratory diseases of asthma and COPD.
Fosters the exchange of clinical and administrative ideas and develop joint approaches to improve patient outcomes by:

1.            Implementing evidence based care

2.            Identify appropriate referral pathways

3.            Ensure equity of access to services

Duration of Program and how it Operates

The Asthma project commenced in 1994 with Asthma Watch being publicly launched in 1999. During this time the asthma team have reviewed:

Pollen counts on the Central Coast
Medication sales through pharmacy data collection
Hospital and emergency admissions
Data from the Health Insurance Commission on the number of 3+ visit plans implemented.
Knowledge of asthma management in the community through the community seminars.

Respiratory Watch (formerly Asthma Watch) activities include:

facilitations and/or co-ordination all relevant educational activities (including appropriate activities organised by the Area Health Service) to support general practice.
Identification and source information and resources required by the Practice team and consideration of practice capacity issues
Improve communication and collaboration between GPs and other health service providers to enhance asthma and COPD management in the primary care setting
Develop opportunities for, and undertake Q.I. activities on a local level.
Consideration of patient and carer issues

How the Program benefits GPs and their Patients

The program provides education to GPs and practice nurses. This in turn enables the clinicians to enhance and refresh their skills passing on the most current best practice asthma and COPD management to their patients.

Current level of Program Participation / Utilisation

Asthma Watch broadened it’s focus to also encompass COPD in 2008, which then prompted the name change to Respiratory Watch. Previous activities have included practice visits by members of the team. The health professionals in the team provide updates on specific topics or issues selected by the GPs as being high on the list of priorities in their practices.

Workshops for GPs and PNs on related topics are held at least annually. Utilisation and participation by general practice is variable.

Co-ordination of the Program

Jennie Sadler
Integration Manager
PH: 43671616
Fax: 4365 3836
Email: jennie@ccdgp.com.au

More Information

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