Annual Reviews
Annual Asthma Review
When should I go for an asthma review?
Most people go for an asthma review once a year, twice a year if you’re under 16, with a health professional that has specialist asthma knowledge.
If you have difficult or severe asthma you need to go for an asthma review more often. Asthma guidelines recommend this as an important way to help you stay on top of your asthma symptoms and reduce the risk of asthma attacks and hospital admissions.
Usually your practice nurse will invite you for an annual asthma review around your birthday month, or you can book an appointment yourself.
Why is it important to go for your annual asthma review?
A regular asthma review could help you keep free of symptoms and cut down the risk of an asthma attack. This is a great way to talk to your practice nurse about:
- Symptoms affecting your daily lifestyle
- Asthma attacks – whether you’ve had one, or you’re scared of having one.
- Medicines – how they help your asthma and the side effects.
- Stopping smoking advice and other ways to help you avoid asthma triggers.
However, even if you feel your asthma is well controlled always make sure you attend your asthma review.
It’s a chance to ensure your asthma stays under control, so you can carry on enjoying day to day activities without needing time off work/school.
What happens at your asthma review?
Your asthma review is a check up to see how you’re managing and coping with your asthma and to see if there’s anything else you and your practice nurse can do to help you and your symptoms. At your asthma review your practice nurse may do the following:
- Carry out some tests – These are simple breathing tests like spirometry or peak flow where you can see the results straight away, these can indicate to the nurse/GP how well you’re lungs are working.
- Check your inhaler technique – Taking your inhaler the correct way can make a huge difference to how well your medicines work.
- Talk about your risk of an asthma attack – This is an effective way to talk through ways of lowering your chances of having an asthma attack, for example discussing lifestyle factors like stopping smoking or losing excess weight. Also in the event of asthma attack how to help recognise and treat it effectively.
- Update your written action plan – If the practice nurse or GP adds or changes any new medicines they can write it down on your plan.
- Review your medication and arrange re authorisation as appropriate.
How to make the most of your asthma review
Here are some ideas to help you prepare for your appointment to get the most out it.
- Write down any questions you want to ask the practice nurse
- Keep a note of any symptoms – e.g. Triggers, missed medicines.
- Take along all your inhalers and spacers.
- Take along your action plan – (if you have one).
- Be open about anything that could be making your asthma worse.
Seeing your GP/Nurse at other times
Make sure you book to see your nurse GP/Nurse before your annual review is due if:
- If your asthma symptoms are getting worse, you need to use your reliever inhaler more than 3 times a week or in the night – within 24 hours
- If you’ve been to the hospital with an asthma attack- within two working days.
- If your prescription has changed – within 4-8 weeks
Development of PAAP’s (Personal Asthma Action Plans)
The British Asthma guidelines recommend that people with Asthma should be offered individualised self-management education supported by a written action plan. The benefits of this approach are shown to include an improvement in quality of life and a reduction in hospital admissions, unplanned healthcare consultations, time lost from work/school and a decrease of night-time symptoms.
Working in partnership with the patient enables the Nurse/GP to ensure that information can be tailored to the individuals own needs and preferences. Use websites to seek more information on your condition: www.asthma.org.uk
Diabetes Annual Review
Everyone who has been diagnosed with diabetes should undergo diabetes care review at least once annually; we will invite you around your month of birth. This helps your practice nurse to monitor your general health.
However, if you’re newly diagnosed, children or those with diabetic complications may need to have a diabetic review more often.
What happens at your annual Diabetic review?
At your annual diabetes care review the practice nurse will:
- Take your height and weight , to check if you are under or over weight:
BMI 20-25- best rate
Above 25-overweight
Above 30-obese - Take your blood pressure
- Review your HbA1c and cholesterol levels
- Discuss any issues you have with your diabetes or health in general.
- Review your medication and arrange re authorisation as appropriate.
- Advise any change in regimen, lifestyle or medication- also the side effects
- People who take insulin should ensure they are having their injection/infusion sites checked.
- Feet- your feet will be checked once a year for circulation and sensation. This is to detect early signs of Peripheral vascular disease and neuropathy. Detection and treatment can prevent complications such as gangrene and ulcers.
- Retinal screening- you will have an annual appointment. At this appointment the back of the eye (retina) is checked for early diabetic changes which could lead to vision complications if left untreated.
- Urine test – albumin: creatinine ratio (ACR)
Useful websites to seek more information on your condition: www.diabetes.org.uk
Heart Disease and Stroke Annual Review
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Coronary Heart Disease
- Stroke and TIA
Every year patients with coronary heart disease will be offered an appointment, around your month of birth, for a review with a Nurse/GP. At this appointment your symptoms will be reviewed and you will receive advice to reduce your overall risk of having a heart attack.
The review will include an assessment of risk factors for heart disease including:
- Weight
- Waist measurement
- Cholesterol
- Blood pressure
- Smoking status
- Diet
- Exercise
- Review your medication and arrange re authorisation as appropriate.
Make sure you prepare any questions you would like to ask ready for your appointment. Useful websites to seek more information on your condition:
- British Heart Foundation: www.bhf.org.uk
- H.E.A.R.T. UK: www.heartuk.org.uk
COPD
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease/Chronic Bronchitis/Emphysema
You will be offered an annual review of your COPD treatment and lifestyle factors affecting your respiratory health. A review of your inhaler technique and your personal respiratory action plan. Advice regarding stopping smoking and other lifestyle will be discussed.
All patients with breathing problems will be offered support and reviews.
You should see your GP without delay if you are experiencing an increase in your COPD symptoms including increased shortness of breath, cough or expectorating more/discoloured phlegm.
Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination is advised for all patients with respiratory disease.
Review your medication and arrange re authorisation as appropriate
Please bring inhalers and spacers to your appointment.
Useful websites to seek more information:
- COPD: www.blf.org.uk