
AR95B- Asthma in Primary Care: Managing Difficult-to-Treat and Acute Presentations
Course summary
This practical study day provides primary care professionals with an evidence-based update on the assessment, management, and referral of patients with difficult-to-control asthma. It will also address acute asthma across all age groups. Aligned with the latest guidance from NICE, BTS/SIGN (2024), and GINA (2025), the course will explore optimisation of pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological interventions. We will examine asthma characteristics (phenotypes) and discuss when and why referral is appropriate. Interactive sessions will support the translation of clinical guidance into effective, personalised care.
Who should attend?
Practice Nurses
Nurse Practitioners
Allied Health Professionals
Community Nurses
District Nurses
Urgent Care Nurses
Walk in Centre Nurses
ENPs
Aims / objectives
This course supports primary care nurses and allied health professionals in recognising and managing both difficult-to-control and acute asthma. It focuses on practical, guideline-aligned care to improve patient safety and outcomes in the primary care setting and to guide appropriate referral.
By the end of the study day, participants will have gained understanding in:
- Respiratory health and asthma care in the UK
- Risk factors linked to poor asthma outcomes, including clinical and social contributors
- Application of current guidance in the assessment of asthma control
- Appropriate pharmacological intervention, including the importance of inhaler technique and creating a personalised asthma plan
- Supporting patients with non-pharmacological strategies
- Assessing and managing acute asthma, including appropriate follow-up
- An overview of biologic therapy
- Tools and processes to identify high-risk patients for timely follow-up or referral
- Improving asthma care through audit, evaluation, and quality improvement initiatives
Course programme
- Respiratory health and development across the lifespan
- Overview of asthma pathophysiology, phenotypes, endotypes, and acute presentations
- Recognising contributors to poor asthma outcomes
- The fundamentals of a good asthma review and appropriate intervention:
- Clinical assessment and decision-making
- Pharmacological management and inhaler device technique
- Non-pharmacological strategies
- Action plans and supported self-management
- Follow-up, identifying ongoing risk, referral pathways, and preventing poor outcomes
- Managing acute asthma presentations
- Case-based learning: real-world application in primary care
- Using tools and data to identify patients at higher risk of poor asthma control
- Quality improvement in practice: audit, review, and service development
Led by
TBA