Asthma UK says GP should ask three crucial questions

Asthma UK says more than 33,000 people endure asthma attacks every week in the province.

The figures were part of a UK-wide survey released on Tuesday which found that more than 16,000 people in the province suffer an attack almost every day.

Asthma UK's Northern Ireland director Marjory Burns said many cases went undiagnosed because GPs often failed to follow guidelines.

"We have uncovered a breakdown in communication between people with asthma and doctors and nurses," she said.

She said doctors should ask three key questions: "Is your sleep disturbed by asthma? Have you had symptoms during the day and have your normal activities been affected?"

The charity is launching a special asthma review card containing the three questions, which the Royal College of Physicians recommends should be asked by GPs.

GP CRUCIAL ASTHMA QUESTIONS Is your sleep disturbed by asthma? Have you had symptoms during the day? Have your normal activities been affected?

Ms Burns said many people were suffering in silence.

"But the tragedy is it doesn't have to be like that," she said.

"It has got to be a joint effort, with doctors and nurses given specialist training.

"They need to probe more, but people with asthma are also putting up with restrictions and symptoms they don't have to."

Dr Brian Dunn, chairman of the British Medical Association's committee in Northern Ireland, said that patients had to do more.

"They will attend when their asthma is troublesome, but many won't keep their review appointments," he said.

"Education is important because asthma patients are very poor at coming back."

Dr Dunn said it was in doctors' best interests to deal with the problem, as GPs are paid according to how well they look after asthma patients.

"It's a good thing that someone from outside has a look at what we are doing," he said.